The Legacy
by the lurker
Summary: After uncovering the abuse of a teenage girl, Matt and Doc are at odds over what must be done to save her. While there will be nothing explicit in this story, be advised that the overall theme is mature.
1. Chapter 1

GUNSMOKE

"The Legacy"

Matt felt her presence on the boardwalk next to him before she spoke.

"Well, I see the town marshal's _real_ busy this afternoon..."

Dillon smiled broadly at her, and tipped his hat back on his head, leaning back in his chair, causing its front legs to balance in the air.

"Maybe the lawbreakers have given the town marshal the afternoon off."

"Is that so?"

He leaned forward, and the front two legs of the chair came back to the boardwalk.

"Sure looks that way to me..."

She crossed her arms in front of herself, smiling.

"Then how about letting a saloon owner buy you a drink?"

He stood, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"I haven't heard an offer as good as that all day."

Kitty laughed deeply as they began moving toward the Longbranch. A moment later, a familiar voice nearby caught her attention.

"Do you have any money?"

Russell looked over in front of the General Store to see Doc Adams addressing young Tommy Collins, she nudged Dillon, who followed her gaze. The little blonde boy silently shook his head at the doctor, fear filling his large brown eyes which stared up into the old man's austere face. Adams kept his expression impassive, resisting the urge to smile.

"You don't have any money?" The little boy shook his head harder. Doc reached into his pocket, pulled out a nickel and handed it to the child, who tentatively reached out and took it. Adams glared sternly at him. "Now don't you spend that!"

Filled with glee, the seven year old charged into the General Store, unaware of the grin now tugging at the old doctor's lips. Oblivious to his audience, Adams didn't notice Matt and Kitty observing him from several feet away. Shaking his head to himself in amusement, he put his hands in his pockets and walked in the opposite direction. The redhead turned to the marshal, a soft look in her eyes.

"It's sort of a shame that he doesn't have kids..."

Picking up on the double meaning, Dillon looked away, mumbling, "Yeah, I suppose it is..."

Kitty took a hold of Matt's arm, as they once again headed toward the Longbranch, a pensive silence now lying between them.

* * *

"How many times do I gotta tell ya, woman," the man roared, "I want my food served warm, not hot! I don't care to be burnin' my mouth on this slop you call dinner."

The burly man threw the plate of steaming food at his wife's head, hitting her arms with it, as she tried to cover her face, the plate smashing as it hit the floor. He took several menacing steps toward her, grabbing her hard by the upper arm. The woman cried out in pain.

"It's bad enough you ain't no good no more as a wife, the leastest you can do is keep this pig sty clean and git me my food the way I want it." His voice became gritty and dangerous, "I ain't gonna tell you again, woman. Now you mind what I say and clean up this mess and fix me another plate afore I take a broom handle to you."

To punctuate his anger, he shoved her into the wall, her head banging against it. She rubbed her hand across the back of her skull, and then cowering close to the floor, began cleaning up the splattered food and smashed plate. The pale blue eyes watching from the relative safety of the partially closed bedroom door blinked away tears. For as long as she could remember, he had beaten and abused her mother. She quietly closed the door and leaned against it, looking at her own maturing figure; the one he had been staring at more and more. How much longer was it going to be before he came at her?

The seventeen year old flung herself on the bed, burying her face into the comforter, muffling the sounds of her tears: how she hated him. She missed her father, who over the course of her life had begun to fade from memory, long since having turned to dust. She reached over to the bedside table and pulled at the cloth doll sitting there; the one he had given to her on her fourth birthday. It had been the last present her father had ever given to her, and it was the one thing in her possession that she truly treasured.

She buried her face into the doll's dress as the sounds of screaming and abuse filtered in from the other room. It seemed that her mother had still not satisfied her stepfather's wish for a lukewarm meal. Cassie covered her ears trying to shut it all out, as she softly sang the song her father taught her.

"Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, go to sleep you little baby. When you wake, you'll have cake, and all the pretty little horses--"

The sound of her mother's piercing scream put an end to the song, and any hope Cassie Stevenson might have had that the beatings would stop. She tried to squelch her cry of fear when she heard him pounding on her door; but then, it had only been a matter of time


	2. Chapter 2

Mary Stevenson's hand shook as she lit the lantern on the table. The cold, dark room took on a slightly warmer glow as the small flame radiated across the floor. It had been several hours, and she hadn't heard a sound from her daughter's room. Cautiously she glanced over at the man in the chair, asleep from the drunken binge that had followed his assault on the two women. Shaking with the fear of what she would find, Mary picked up the lantern and quietly walked over to the closed door. She opened it and stepped in, softly closing the door behind her.

The silken glow of the lantern light spread across the room, but she didn't see her daughter, and panic seized her. She looked toward the bedroom window, but it was closed. As she examined the room, the evidence of a full-blown fight was witnessed in the destruction. There wasn't a book still intact; the chair and desk Cassie used for her studies were overturned; and the doll that was the only thing the girl had left of her father, shredded on the floor.

It was then that Mary heard the small whimpering coming from behind her in the corner. She turned around and had to slam a hand over her mouth to keep the wail building in her throat from sounding through the house and possibly waking her husband. Cassie's dress had been torn from her, and her face was black and blue from the beating. Blood had pooled on the floor where she was sitting, and had spread over her white petticoat.

And Mary Stevenson wanted to scream. She wanted to beat her fists into the man who had taken from her daughter what should only have been given to a special man of Cassie's choosing. She wanted to strike him down as he slept with the scythe from the barn and be finished with him; but the awful truth was plain. No matter what had been visited upon Mary and her daughter, they were women living in a society that viewed them as less than the men. Killing Dell Stevenson would only result in her own hanging, leaving Cassie completely alone.

Mary looked once again at the terror in her daughter's pale eyes and felt sick: would alone be worse than living under the grim shadow of the animal in the other room? She honestly didn't know. Mary set the lantern down and gently approached Cassie, taking the stricken girl in her arms, rocking her softly.

"It's going to be all right, Cassie. I know that it will." The young woman shook violently, and her mother pulled her closer. "I'll think of something to keep him off you, girl. Even if'n I have to kill him, I'll keep him off you."

Cassie buried her face into her mother's breast and cried. There would be no young men courting her now, no picnics by the river, walks through town or buggy rides in the country; even at seventeen, Cassie understood that she was damaged goods. And that was how every man in Dodge would see her. She swallowed down the cry that threatened to come, and vowed silently to herself that from that moment on, she would allow nothing to cause her grief or pain. There would be no moment or emotion that would penetrate the wall that she would build, and no man would ever be allowed to glimpse the anguish in her heart.

From this night forward, Cassie Stevenson would be as plain as a blade of grass, and as blank in temper as the most docile kitten. The world would cease to have color, melody, or passion - it was a slate wall with no meaning. And in that wall there would lie the comfort of omission.

And in omission there would be no regret.


	3. Chapter 3

Doc slowly ambled down the boardwalk toward his office, his medical bag swinging slightly in his right hand. Kitty stepped out of the Longbranch and saw him heading her way.

"Mornin' Doc...you're up early on a cold morning."

The old man stopped in front of her and gave her riding outfit the once over. "No. You're the one who's up early; I'm up late."

Kitty examined him more closely then, and noticed the deep circles under his eyes, and the slightly disheveled condition of his clothing. "Yeah, handsome, you are lookin' a little worse for the wear..." Doc glared at her, and she started giggling. "Oh don't take it so much to heart, I'm just teasin' a little..."

"Uh-huh. I was gonna offer to buy you a cup of coffee over at Delmonico's before your ride, but I think now I'm just gonna go up to bed and let you fend for yourself!"

He walked off in a huff, and Kitty yelled after him, "That cranky ol' doctor routine doesn't fool me one bit you know." She laughed to herself as he waved her off. "You're just a big softie inside," she whispered aloud.

As she passed by the Marshal's Office, Matt was coming out, a cup of coffee in hand. "Well, good morning, Kitty."

"Hiya Matt."

"Goin' out for a ride?"

"You bet. Seems like a good day for one."

"A little cold, isn't it?"

She shrugged. "Maybe. But I kinda like to ride in brisk air."

Matt smiled at her. "Wanna cup of coffee?"

"Chester make it?"

The big marshal laughed. "No, no, he stayed out at Jeff and Jim Spencer's last night, something about the three of them testing out some new rifles Jim picked up in Wichita."

Kitty's eyes danced with amusement. "You didn't buy that one, didja?"

"No. The question is how much corn liquor do you think they're drinkin' and how long will it take us to get Chester back?"

Kitty chuckled. "I wouldn't wanna put any money it, that's for sure!"

The sound of pounding hooves and a fast-moving wagon interrupted them. They looked up Front Street to see Chester bounding toward them in a buckboard.

"Mr. Dillon! Mr. Dillon! I need some help here..."

Matt met the wagon as Chester pulled it to a stop in front of the jail. Dillon glanced at the two battered women and frowned at Goode.

"Chester, what happened?"

"I was comin' back from the Spencer's early this mornin' when I run across Mary and Cassie Stevenson huddled by the roadside, as cold as two little birds in a frozen pond."

"Why in the world were they out in the cold, barely dressed?"

"I don't know, Mr. Dillon. All Mary's been sayin' is that they had some kinda accident..."

Matt reached for Cassie, while Chester took charge of Mary. "Come on, let's get them up to Doc's...Kitty, can you help us?"

"Of course, Matt, I'm right behind you."

* * *

Doc pulled the stethoscope from his neck, and set it in his bag. He stood, swiping a hand across his mustache and chin, and then walked through the door, and out into his main office. He shoved both his hands in the pockets of his pants as he began to pace.

Matt's voice was gentle, but held a note of impatience. "Doc?"

The old man growled, "Mary's gonna be fine, Matt."

Kitty's voice was filled with concern, "What about Cassie?"

Doc shook his head. "I don't know, Kitty. She hasn't woken up yet, and well...I don't know."

Matt folded his arms across his chest. "Did Mary say why they were out on the roadside?"

"She just said that they had a buckboard accident, and I don't want to push her right now, Matt, she's been through a lot."

Dillon studied his old friend for a long moment, and picked up on the fact that the man was holding back. His shimmering blue eyes held Doc's pale ones, and Matt could see the trepidation in them. He waited a moment, and then let it go, at least for the present.

"I'll need to speak with her later."

"I understand that," Adams snapped. "When I say it's all right."

One of Dillon's eyebrows shot up slightly at the unusually sharp tone, but he simply nodded. "That's fine, Doc." Kitty and Matt exchanged an uneasy glance, and Matt turned to Chester. "Did you find a wagon or a horse out there, Chester?"

Goode scratched his head in thought. "Well no, Mr. Dillon, I didn't...I had ta ride back to the Spencer's place and borry their buckboard ta bring them women into Dodge."

Matt looked over at Doc, whose eyes stonily indicated his anger. Matt kept his voice even, "It doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?"

"Makin' sense out of it is your problem, Matt; takin' care of Mary and Cassie's mine. And in that interest, I think it's best if all of you clear out and let me do just that."

Matt put his hat on. "Come on Chester, let's take a ride out to the Stevenson place and have a talk with Dell."

"Gee whiz, Mr. Dillon, ain't there even time to have a little coffee?"

Matt shook his head slightly. "We can have some later, come on..."

Kitty watched the two men leave, and she turned to Doc who suddenly reminded her of a coiled snake about to strike. She frowned slightly at him.

"Doc?"

"What is it, Kitty?"

"What didn't you say just now?"

His fiery eyes bore into her like fire. "I don't know what you're talkin' about."

"Now Doc--"

"--I can't just stand around here talkin' I have some patients to look after..."

And before Kitty could say another word, Doc Adams walked through the door leading to the bedroom, closing it and any further questions, behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

Matt banged on the door again, an impatient frown settling on his forehead.

"Do ya think he ain't here, Mr. Dillon?"

"I don't know what to think, Chester."

Just as Dillon was preparing to bang on the door once more, it suddenly opened, and a bleary-eyed Dell Stevenson glared at him.

"Whaddya want, Marshal?"

Matt looked the man over, and quickly came to the conclusion that he had been sleeping off an alcoholic binge.

"I want to talk with you for a few minutes, Mr. Stevenson." The large man just stared for a moment at the lawman, so Matt continued, "Mind if we get outta the cold for a minute?"

After another long stare, the man moved away from the door, allowing Dillon and Chester to step inside. The place was neat enough, but it was fairly obvious by the lack of heat and any coffee brewing that Stevenson had been sound asleep when Dillon pounded on the door.

"I ain't got no coffee on." The man looked around his own place briefly, as if searching for something. "Don't know where the womenfolk have gotten off to..."

Dillon's eyes narrowed, sizing up the man. "Your wife and daughter are in Dodge, Mr. Stevenson."

"What?"

Chester spoke up, "I found 'em on the side o' the road, Mr. Stevenson, they was ice cold and in pretty bad shape."

"What was they doin' there?"

Dillon's voice held a hard edge, "I was hoping you could tell me that."

"Well why don'tcha ask them?"

"They're in too bad of shape to talk just now."

Stevenson ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know...I ain't seen neither of 'um since last night. Cain't see what fool thing that woman was doin' goin' out in the cold, and takin' the youngun with her..."

"They seemed pretty beat up."

Dillon glared at Stevenson, who squirmed slightly under the marshal's scrutiny.

"Whaddya mean by that, Marshal? I ain't done nuthin'..."

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Don't know what business it is of yers anyway, Marshal, whut goes betwixt a man and his family is his own knowin's."

Dillon moved closer to Stevenson, his voice grinding with irritation, "If I find out you've been beating them, Stevenson, I'll--"

"--You'll whut, Marshal? My womenfolk ain't gonna tell you nuthin' if'n they know whut's good fer 'em. Besides, thar ain't no laws agin a man keepin' his family in line."

"You make me sick, Stevenson," Dillon spat out. He turned to Goode. "Come on, Chester, let's go."

"Yes sir, Mr. Dillon."

Chester stepped through the door, and Matt turned to face Dell once more. "Don't you take one step outside the line, Stevenson, because I'll be waitin' for you. And if you beat either Mary or Cassie again, you'll answer to me, law or no law."

Dillon slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Dell Stevenson glaring in his wake. Chester turned to the marshal.

"Mr. Dillon, you cain't do nuthin' legal about him beatin' on Mary and Cassie..."

"No I can't, Chester."

"Well, you didn't really mean what you said in there, didja?"

Dillon sighed deeply. "I'm hoping the threat of it will be enough, Chester." He looked into the deputy's deep brown eyes. "That's all I have at my disposal."

The two men climbed on their horses and headed for Dodge.

Chester looked back at the small cabin. "Sure is a darned shame, Mr. Dillon. It surely is..."

* * *

Kitty handed Ma Smalley the dress. "This should just about fit her, Ma."

Ma smiled. "Yes Miss Russell, I think it should."

"How's she doing?"

"Doc says she's gonna be just fine, after a few days of rest here."

Kitty looked into Smalley's eyes. "Has Mary said what happened?"

"Just that they had some kind of accident with a wagon."

"What did Doc say?"

The older woman shrugged. "He didn't, really. Frankly, Miss Russell, Doc seemed kinda upset, or maybe just distracted when I went over there to get Mary. I think he's pretty worried about Cassie."

"She still hasn't come around?"

The woman shook her head. "I'm afraid not, poor little thing. He didn't want to leave her, which is why he sent for me to get Mary." Ma leaned in confidentially, her voice lowering, "Just between you and me, he was as vinegary as a pickled radish set too long on a shelf. I don't think he's eaten a thing all day."

Kitty nodded. "I'll check in on him, Ma, don't you worry."

"Did the marshal fetch Mr. Stevenson?"

Kitty shrugged. "I don't know, Ma, he and Chester went out there this morning, I imagine they'll be back soon."

Smalley pat Kitty's arm. "Will you see to ol' Doc, Miss Russell? A good meal would do wonders for his disposition."

Kitty couldn't resist smiling. "I will, Mrs. Smalley. I will."

* * *

Kitty opened the door to Doc's office, a tray of food in her left hand. Seeing that he wasn't in the main room, she gently closed the door, and walked in, setting the food on his desk. She softly knocked on the door to the back room, and opened it slightly, peering in. Cassie was still unconscious in the bed, and Doc was sitting in a chair right beside her. He turned to look at the open door.

"Hi Kitty, come on in."

She walked in, turning to observe him from a few feet away; and she had to agree with Ma Smalley that the exhaustion was beginning to show from the lines in his face to his slumping shoulders. She crossed her arms in front of herself, and pitched her voice in a passive tone.

"You're tired."

He looked up at her, his own timbre a gentle reflection of his fatigue. "A little, I guess."

"I brought some food for you from Delmonico's, it's on your desk."

"That was sweet of you."

His tone was sincere enough, but Kitty noticed he made no move to get the tray.

"Have you eaten anything today?"

He shook his head. "I'm not hungry really. I'll eat something when I am." The doctor looked back at his patient, his voice taking on a sad empathy. "This poor little thing's had a tough time of it, Kitty."

"Think she'll be all right?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. It's almost as if she doesn't want to wake up." He looked at the bruises on the young woman's face, and the thought of the violation he had found below upon examination, made him shudder.

Adams felt the comforting hand rest on his shoulder and he looked up into the caring blue eyes as she spoke to him. "If her doctor doesn't take care of himself, she's not going to have a chance."

He pat Kitty's hand. "Now you leave all the doctorin' to me." The disappointment in Kitty's eyes sent a stab of guilt into his heart. He turned in his chair to face her, taking her hand in his. "I could use a cup of coffee, if you have a little time to make some fer me..."

Recognizing the apology for brushing off her concern, Kitty couldn't help smiling at him. She ran gentle fingers through the thick curls on the back of his head.

"Only if you promise to actually eat something when you do get hungry, Curly."

His eyes twinkled as an impish grin tugged at his lips. "You just can't resist twisting me around your little finger, can you?"

Identifying the smile and tone that were reserved only for her, Kitty playfully ruffled the hair on top of his head. "As long as I'm the only one who can, handsome..."

"Women! No man has ever stood a chance against any of you... "

"Uh-huh. And I'll just bet that twenty years ago you had a flock of young ladies sparkin' over you, with you stringin' 'em all along!"

"I most certainly did not!" His eyebrows narrowed in playful reproach. "Are you implyin' that I ain't a gentleman?"

She smiled and tapped the end of his nose gently with her fingertip. "You've never been anything but a gentleman that I've ever seen, handsome..."

He chuckled as Kitty went out in the office to make some coffee. She hoped that he'd give into her gentle prodding soon, eat a little something, and then get some sleep. But as she turned back to observe him through the open door, the concern cloaking his tired figure testified to a different outcome; until Cassie Stevenson showed some sign of improvement, Kitty wagered that Doc Adams wouldn't leave her side.


	5. Chapter 5

Doc paced the length of his outer office, hands shoved deeply in the pockets of his pants.

"You're tellin' me you did nothing? He practically admitted to beating both of them, and you just left him there..."

"Calm down, Doc."

"Don't you tell me to calm down, Matt. Have you observed the condition his wife and daughter are in? Have you?"

Dillon leaned against Doc's desk, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Go ahead, Doc, just get it all out of your system..."

The doctor's eyes were emblazoned with anger. "Don't you patronize me, Marshal. Dell Stevenson beat his wife up pretty bad, but what he did to Cassie--"

The older man's voice choked off, and Dillon straightened up. "Doc?"

Adams stopped pacing, his back to the marshal. His head lowered, he swallowed hard trying to calm himself. Then he turned to face his friend.

"Matt, he abused Cassie in the worst possible way."

"Now Doc, you won't know that for sure until Cassie wakes up and tells you."

The anger returned quickly to Doc's timbre, "I don't need Cassie to tell me what I saw during her examination. He violated her, Matt, and it was vicious."

Dillon placed a gentle hand on Adams' shoulder. "I don't doubt what you're sayin', Doc, but we don't know that it was Dell Stevenson who did it."

The doctor jerked away from the marshal's touch. "You said yourself that he admitted to the beatings--"

"--Doc, you know yourself that I can't haul a man into jail for that; I wish the hell I could, but he hasn't broken any laws in the state of Kansas."

"It's despicable that in this day and age a man can't be held accountable for abusing his family. It's...well it's immoral, Matt."

Sensing that Doc needed something to hold onto, Dillon pat his back gently. "I'll go over and talk to Mary and see what I can find out. If he threw them out on a cold night like that, maybe... well, maybe I can come up with some kinda charge to put against him..."

The venom dripped off the doctor's voice, "He oughta be hung for what he's done."

"Now Doc, you let the law handle this..."

Adams looked sharply at Dillon. "If the law doesn't do anything about it, Matt, so help me, I will."

Dillon squeezed Doc's neck gently. "You're awfully tired, Doc. Maybe you should let Kitty spell you for a little while."

Adams growled at Dillon, "You just worry about doin' your job Matt, and leave mine to me."

Doc stalked into the back room, closing the door behind him. Matt shook his head as he put his hat back on, heading out the door for Ma Smalley's. For all of the doctor's protestation's to the contrary, he was a man of deep emotion and extraordinary compassion; Matt could only hope that it wouldn't pit the two of them against each other in this situation. But deep down, Matt Dillon knew that it would.

* * *

Matt sat in the chair by the bed and smiled gently at its occupant.

"I'm glad you're feeling a little better, Mrs. Stevenson."

"My Cassie, Marshal...how is she? Doc hasn't been over this evenin' and I don't know how she is..."

Matt looked down at the hat in his hands. "Well, I'm afraid there's been no change, Mrs. Stevenson. Your daughter is still unconscious." He paused for a moment, then continued, "I wanted to talk to you about what happened, Mrs. Stevenson."

"I already told Dr. Adams. Cassie and me was headin' into town and the horse spooked, tippin' the wagon. We was thrown from it, and that's the last I remember till I woke up at Doc Adams' place."

"Why were you coming to Dodge in the middle of the night?"

"It weren't the middle of the night, Marshal. It was early in the mornin'..."

"Uh-huh. And what happened to the wagon and the horse?"

"I don't rightly know. Must've run off..."

"Mrs. Stevenson, all due respect, but I don't believe you."

"You don't have ta pay no respect Marshal, if you're gonna call me a liar."

"It isn't that, ma'am, it's just that after speaking with your husband, I sort of got the idea that maybe he isn't all that gentle with you and Cassie..."

Mary Stevenson looked away. "It ain't proper for a wife to tell tales out the front door of her own home, Marshal. It ain't right."

"Mrs. Stevenson, did you know that he...well, he hurt Cassie in a way that no father should ever--"

"--He ain't her real father, and I don't wanna hear no more, Marshal! It won't do to have no talk like that about Cassie. Why that gits around town, and no respectable young man'll have her."

"Mrs. Stevenson, why were you coming to Dodge? Was it to get away from your husband?"

"I'm afraid I'm feelin' quite spent now, Marshal. Please leave..."

Sighing, Matt stood and put his hat on. "Mrs. Stevenson, please understand that there isn't much I can do either way, but at least if you tell me the truth, I might be able to come up with something to put a stop to it." She stared stonily at him, and he continued, "If you won't do it for yourself, think of Cassie."

Her voice was hard and cold. "I am thinking of my daughter, Marshal. Good night."

"Good night, Mrs. Stevenson."

Matt walked through the door, gently closing it behind him, unaware of the tears spilling down Mary Stevenson's cheeks.

* * *

Kitty was leaning against the bar when Dillon walked into the Longbranch and over to her.

"Well, you look like you could use a drink, cowboy."

He pushed the tip of his hat back with his finger. "Yeah, Kitty, I guess I could."

"Rudy, two whiskies..."

The bartender set two glasses of whiskey down, and they each took a sip.

"Chester said that Dell Stevenson didn't seem too worried about his wife and daughter..."

A sarcastic snort uttered from Dillon's mouth. "That's putting it mildly. It turns out that he's not her real father. I don't know what happened to him, but this man is her step-father. And as a man he's worthless, Kitty. Absolutely worthless."

"Does Doc know Mr. Stevenson isn't Cassie's real father?"

"No, I don't think so. I'll tell him in the morning. I don't think he'll be too happy to see me a second time tonight."

She pat his arm. "Chester also said there's nothing you can do about this. Legally, anyway."

Dillon's face soured slightly. "Chester should learn to keep his mouth shut."

Sensing that Matt was more upset than she originally anticipated, Kitty tugged on his arm slightly. "Come on, let's sit at a table."

The two of them sat down at a quiet table in the back of the saloon.

"I just finished talking with Mary Stevenson, and she insists that she and Cassie were banged up from a wagon accident."

"Could she be telling the truth, Matt?"

He shook his head. "I doubt it. Why would Cassie and Mary be heading to Dodge in the middle of the night in a wagon? And why wasn't there any sign of wagon tracks, a horse or the wagon itself? No Kitty, I'm afraid she's just covering up for her husband."

"Oh Matt, why would she do that? If you're right, he beat on her too."

"She thinks she's protecting Cassie."

"It sounds like the best way to do that would be to keep Cassie away from him..."

"Yeah, well..." He looked into her eyes then, the softness of them calming him slightly. "How much did Doc tell you about Cassie's condition?"

Kitty shrugged. "Not much. Just that he doesn't know if she'll be all right, and that she's still unconscious." She watched him take a long sip of his whiskey. "What's going on, Matt?"

"Cassie didn't take just a beating, Kitty."

It took a moment for Russell to understand his meaning, and a frown covered her face. "Oh Matt, no..."

"Yeah. Doc said it was pretty rough."

"How can you be sure it was Dell Stevenson who did it, and not someone else?"

"I can't, Kitty. Not unless Mary or Cassie, when she's able, says something. And even then..."

"Even then you don't have any law to back you up."

"No. I don't."

"How could someone who's supposed to be a father to a young girl do something like that to her?"

"I don't know."

"What are you going to do?"

"For the moment, there's nothing I can do."

"Doc's not going to take kindly to that."

"He already didn't." He paused for a moment, draining the last of his glass. "Frankly, Kitty, he's so angry, I'm afraid of what he might do."

"Oh you know Doc, he was probably just blowin' off steam."

"I don't think so. Not about this."

She ran a loving hand down his cheek, and over the back of his neck, gently rubbing him. "I think you need a little relaxing distraction from all this..."

He glanced at her, a sensuous smile on his lips. "What do you have in mind?"

She stood, pulling his hands with hers. "Come on, cowboy, I'll show you..."

He nonchalantly followed her up the stairs, no one paying them any mind except for Rudy, who could only smile from behind the bar. He wondered if Matt Dillon would ever wise up and ask the girl to marry him before someone else beat him to it; his smile grew broader - he doubted that Kitty Russell would say yes to anyone but the big lawman of Dodge City.

* * *

A strong wind whipped against the window pane, causing an inhuman howling sound to jolt him. Doc shifted stiffly in the chair, the long vigil beginning to tax him. He leaned an elbow on the bedside table and rubbed a hand over his face. He felt so tired. His heavy eyes glanced over at the battered figure in the bed, and he knew his own exhaustion didn't matter; he couldn't leave her alone. He lifted his coffee cup to his lips and took another sip, hoping that the warm liquid might keep him going awhile longer.

He opened his pocketwatch in the dim lamplight to check the time: it was three a.m. He slipped the silver watch back into his unbuttoned vest, and once again leaned against the small table, his head resting in his hand. Just as his weary eyes began to close, the soft whimper from the bed jarred him awake. He moved from his chair to sit on the edge of the bed, gently taking a hold of her arms with his strong hands.

"It's all right, Cassie. It's all right."

"Pa...where's Pa?"

Adams brushed a comforting hand across her brow. "He's not here, Cassie."

It took a minute or so before her eyes focused on him, and her voice turned almost monotone. "Dr. Adams..."

"Yes."

"Where are we?" The question was asked without emotion, merely as an idle curiosity.

"At my office, in Dodge."

"Oh." Her voice became even more disconnected from any sentient feeling, "Where's Ma?"

"Your Ma's fine, Cassie. She's staying at Ma Smalley's for a few days."

She looked directly at him. "Why am I here?"

He frowned slightly at her. "You don't remember?" She shook her head, and he dropped his voice as softly as he could, "You were hurt, Cassie. You were hurt very badly."

"Oh."

The lack of concern in her timbre was beginning to bother him, but he kept his voice even.

"I'm going to give you a pill..." He pulled a tablet out of a bottle on the table, and picked up a glass of water. He slid the pill in between her lips and held her head, allowing her to wash it down with the clear liquid. "I want you to sleep now. It's the best thing for you."

"I suppose."

Adams was getting the impression that the young girl no longer cared what happened to her; but then, the drug started taking affect, and she spoke again, this time fear clearly colored her timbre.

"Pa isn't coming here, is he?"

Doc took her hands in his. 'No Cassie, he isn't."

"He isn't my real Pa you know..."

"He isn't?"

"No. My real Pa died when I was four." She looked sadly into the comforting pale eyes holding hers. "I think he loved me though, my real Pa... you sorta remind me of him." Her voice held the shade of an impending drug-induced sleep. "Please keep that man away..."

"I won't let him near you, honey. I promise you that. Now don't you think about it anymore, I want you to sleep."

"You'll stay with me?"

"Wild horses couldn't drag me away."

Her sleepy pale blue eyes looked expectantly into his. "Horses? Do you know that song too?"

"What song, honey?"

"The song about the pretty horses?" Her sleepy voice began to sing, "Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, go to sleep you little baby."

Doc smiled at her, and his deep basso sounded softly through the room, joining her. "When you wake, you'll have cake, and all the pretty little horses." As her eyes closed, his voice continued alone, "Blacks and bays, dapples and grays, coach and six a little horses. When you wake, you'll have cake, and all the pretty little horses..."

As sleep began to settle in, she gripped his hand tightly, and he could feel the toll the attack had taken on her. And Dr. Galen Adams wanted to hurt the man who had done this to a girl so young, and so innocent. The man who should have protected her and loved her more purely than any other man could. Adams closed his eyes against the power of his own angry thoughts. If she had been his daughter, he would have done anything in the world to protect her. But then, he hadn't been so successful in protecting his own child when she had needed him. Guilt filled him, and he stood, shoving his hands in his pockets, trying to stave off the emotion stinging his soft blue eyes. He looked back at the now sleeping girl: he couldn't save his own child, but he would jolly well safeguard this one, no matter what the cost.

And the law could be damned if it tried to stop him.


	6. Chapter 6

Kitty stepped out onto the boardwalk in front of the Longbranch, and breathed in the chilly air. It was filled with the damp heaviness that comes before snow. Matt had risen early and was gone before any prying eyes might see him departing the saloon; but his absence had left the bed feeling cold and empty. She looked toward Doc's office, and saw no movement, but the low flickering light in the bedroom window told her he must have fallen asleep in the chair by the bed during the wee hours of the morning. Shaking her head at his stubbornness, she wrapped her coat around herself a little tighter and walked quickly toward Delmonico's. It was shortly after six in the morning, and there were few people out and about. She ordered two breakfast plates worth of food and carried the tray up to Adams' office, setting it on the desk, where the untouched tray from the day before still lingered.

Kitty muttered to herself as she moved the old tray aside, "Honestly..."

She put some wood in the stove and lit a fire to take the chill out of the air, and busied herself for awhile longer by making some coffee. If she handed him a steaming cup of the liquid when she woke him, he might not balk as strongly over the meal she was going to force upon him. When the coffee was ready, she poured a cup and headed toward the back room, opening the door quietly. She entered, set the cup on the bedside table, blew out the lantern, and shook her head at the awkward angle his body was leaning in the uncomfortable chair.

Kitty shook his shoulders softly, her voice a quiet whisper in his ear. "Doc?"

Startled, the doctor jolted awake, the jarring movement further straining his already stiff body, causing him to grunt painfully.

She balanced him by holding his shoulders for a moment. "Easy handsome, I don't think moving too fast this morning is gonna feel too good."

He stretched his neck slightly, trying to release the strain. "Probably not," he grumbled.

As he straightened further in the chair, exhaustion overwhelmed him, so he didn't complain when he felt Kitty's hands gently stretching out his back muscles, neither aware of the patient quietly observing them from the bed.

Kitty's voice was mildly reproaching, "You haven't had any sleep for two days, Doc, you need a break." When he didn't answer, she cajoled further. "You're going to eat breakfast, and then you're going to lie down for awhile and get some sleep, and I don't want any arguments. I'll spell you with Cassie." He still said nothing, so she squeezed a sore muscle very tightly, eliciting a groan. "Are you listening to me?"

"Yes, I heard you." He slowly stood then, turned, and looked into her concerned face. "You don't mind?"

She shook her head at him, brushing a gentle hand through his hair. "Of course I don't mind, Doc. Now come on, take your coffee, and let's eat something."

Cassie slammed her eyes shut before either of them noticed her watchful observance. Doc picked up the coffee cup from the table, and after one more look at Cassie, he followed Kitty out into the main office, closing the door gently behind them. He shuffled over to his desk, and Kitty set a plate of eggs and bacon in front of him. The smell of the food made him realize how long it had been since he'd eaten, and he dug into the plate with more gusto than Kitty had expected. She ruffled the curls on the back of his head.

"Glad to see you have an appetite this morning, Curly."

Kitty sat near him, and started working on her own breakfast. After watching him nearly devour the food on his plate, she silently pushed some from her plate onto his. He smiled at her.

"I'm a little more hungry than I thought."

"You eat as much as you want, Doc, you're making up for lost time." She watched him for a moment, then changed the subject. "How's Cassie doing?"

"She woke up briefly, in the wee hours."

Kitty set her plate down. "She did? What did she say?"

"Not all that much, she's kinda weak, ya know." Kitty stared at him, and he knew he had to continue, "She doesn't seem to remember too much about any of it. What concerns me the most, is that she's consciously trying to blot out her emotions, and act like nothing matters to her. It's not healthy for a young girl to do something like that..."

"Dell Stevenson's not her real father, Doc."

Adams looked at her then. "She told me that, but how did you know?"

"Mary Stevenson told Matt."

Doc couldn't keep the emotion from his voice, "She's as sweet as a little kitten, you know. So innocent. Poor little thing don't deserve what's happened to her. Not at all. Instead of some animal trying to hurt her, she needs a father, someone to protect her."

Kitty's timbre was a mix of surprise and slight irritation, "You sound like you wanna take on the job..."

He looked at her sharply. "Somebody has to..."

Her brow furrowed. "Doc, you sound serious."

His eyes softened considerably, "I am."

Deciding that it was his lack of rest talking, and not entirely sure what to make of her own swirling emotions, Kitty pat him on the back.

"Come on, handsome, it's time for you to lie down, and get some sleep."

She pulled him up and guided him to his exam table. He slipped onto it, rolling onto his side, facing away from her. Kitty picked up a blanket from a nearby chair, and covered him with it. She stroked the back of his head lightly with her hand.

"Close your eyes and get some rest."

His voice already sounded sleepy, "You'll stay with her?"

A red eyebrow arched up in annoyance, but she kept it from her timbre, "Don't worry about a thing, I'll take care of her. And you..."

Doc's breathing quickly dropped into a steady rhythm indicating he was in a deep sleep. Kitty pulled the blanket a little tighter around his neck, and walked into the back room, to sit with Cassie. She looked over at the young woman, and felt sudden resentment. The emotion shocked her, and Kitty stared at the young face, framed by cascades of dark hair, trying to understand it. But as she studied the girl, she realized that it wasn't her youth or her looks; it was the fact that Doc was so taken with her.

And Kitty felt ashamed.


	7. Chapter 7

Chester took a sip of coffee and made an unsatisfied face. "I don't know, Mr. Dillon, this tastes a tad on the weak side, if you ask me. It surely isn't one of my better pots."

Matt's eyebrows raised slightly at the idea that the coffee was weak. "Chester, if this coffee was any stronger, I'd deputize it!"

Goode stared at Dillon for a moment, trying to decide if it was a compliment or not, but before he could make up his mind, the door to the office opened, and Dell Stevenson lumbered in, slamming the door behind him.

"I want my wife and daughter, Marshal."

Dillon glared at the man, but kept his voice even, "When Doc says they're well enough to leave Dodge, they'll leave, not before. They were hurt pretty bad, Mr. Stevenson."

Stevenson's sour face told Dillon he was going to push the issue even before Dell spoke. "I don't care nothin' for what no doctor says. I'm tired of making food and coffee, it's a woman's work, and I want my woman at home." He stood looming over Matt's desk. "Where are they?"

Matt stood, rising to his full height, which was a good four inches above Stevenson, and he stared down at the man. "I said Doc's not done with 'em yet, and that's what I meant."

"They over at that old sawbones' office? I'll jist go git 'em myself..."

"Mr. Stevenson, you stay away from Doc's office, or you'll face me."

"It ain't right comin' betwixt a man and his kinfolk, Marshal. It ain't right."

"When Doc says they're okay, if they want to return home, than that's fine, but until then, you stay outta Dodge, or I'll run ya out."

The burly man frowned at Dillon. "You're askin' for it, Marshal, ya really are..."

Dillon moved closer, his body language, threatening. "Any time you decide you wanna take me on, Stevenson, you just go right ahead. I have no use for your kind."

"Whaddya mean by that?"

"I mean you're a coward who beats up on women; you're a waste of space."

Stevenson balled up his fist, and for a minute, it looked to Chester as if the man was going to slug the marshal.

"I'll have your hide for that, Dillon. I will."

"Uh-huh. But until then, get outta Dodge."

Reluctantly, Stevenson turned and walked out of the office. Chester watched from the window as the man got on his buckboard and headed out of town.

"Mr. Dillon?"

"Yeah?

"How many buckboards you think the Stevenson's have?"

"Probably one, like most homesteaders. Why?"

"Well if that's true, he's on it, so Mary and Cassie couldn't have had it out and lost it..."

Matt looked at his deputy and nodded. "It's what we thought all along."

Chester shook his head in disgust, staring into his coffee mug. "Man like that shouldn't have any family, Mr. Dillon...he just plumb don't deserve it."

Dillon nodded as he sat back down at his desk. "I just hope Mary and Cassie don't go back to him."

"But Mr. Dillon...where else would they go?"

Matt looked down at his paperwork, as if an answer would jump out at him. But one didn't. And the big marshal of Dodge remained silent.

* * *

The pale eyes opened and focused on the redhead reading the paper in the chair that Doc Adams had occupied. For several long minutes, Cassie studied the woman with great interest. She was pretty, probably well-learned since she was reading a newspaper, and the dress she was wearing was something of which Cassie had only dreamed. When she had seen them together earlier, the woman seemed very easy with Doc. Her curiousity won out over her apprehension. 

Her voice was soft, almost tiny, "Who are you?"

Kitty looked up from her newspaper and smiled. "Well now, good afternoon, Cassie. My name's Kitty."

Cassie's voice took on a detached tone, "Where's Dr. Adams?"

Kitty leaned forward in the chair. "He needed to get some rest. He'll be back later." It was odd, but as Kitty stared into the unsettlingly familiar pale blue eyes, she sensed that there was no emotion behind them. "Are you hungry, Cassie?"

The young girl shook her head. "Not really." She sized up the woman sitting with her, and then spoke again, "I'd like some water though."

Kitty poured her a glass of water, and handed it to her. Cassie drank about half of it, and handed it back.

"Thank you," the voice said without inflection.

Kitty was beginning to understand what Doc had been talking about regarding the girl's ability to suppress any kind of feelings, giving the impression that she didn't really care about anything. But as Russell looked deeper into the depths of steely blue, she saw a flicker of...something.

"How are you feeling after so much sleep?"

"Tired still, I suppose."

Kitty smiled again, and decided to try a different tact. "Can you tell me what happened to you, Cassie?" The girl's blank look faltered for a moment, revealing terror, and Kitty felt regret. "If it's too hard for you to talk about right now, that's okay."

Cassie managed to slip her mask of nothingness back in place, once again showing a bored look to the world. "I'd rather talk about it with Doc, I think."

One of Kitty's eyebrows raised. "Oh. I see."

"Are you his wife?"

The stark honesty of the question hit Kitty hard, and she frowned at the girl. "No, of course not."

The girl stared hard into Kitty's eyes. "His daughter then?"

Russell was trying not to become annoyed, and to keep in mind that the girl had been through an awful lot, but it was difficult. "No, just a friend."

Cassie's tone didn't indicate any feeling either way, "Oh." She looked down for a moment, then back at Kitty. "Does he have a family?"

Kitty smiled at her, but the young girl could feel her irritation. "You know, Cassie, Doc's a pretty private person, I'm not sure how he'd take all these questions about him behind his back."

The girl shrugged, as if none of it mattered. "Oh. It doesn't make any difference about anything anyway."

Kitty frowned. "It's okay to be curious about people, Cassie, but most of the time, you just shouldn't ask such personal questions."

It was as if the girl hadn't heard her. "Do you like to read?"

"Yes..."

"I learned to read. But I don't get to see too many books." She looked at the pretty redhead once more. "Is the newspaper nice to read?"

"If you like news."

The door to the room softly opened and Doc peered in. He smiled when he saw that Cassie was awake.

"Well now, look at that! The two prettiest women in Dodge, settin' in my back room havin' a chat. I must be the luckiest fella in all of Kansas!"

He winked at Kitty, but she ignored the acknowledgment, abruptly standing up. "You look more rested."

"I feel a lot better, thanks."

"That's good. But if you don't need me any more, I think I'll be on my way."

Something in her timbre didn't sit right with him, and he turned to her. "You all right, Kitty?"

"Yes, just have a lot on my mind, I guess..."

He frowned as he watched her head toward the door. "Kitty, I'm going to examine Cassie for a minute, but then I'll come out to the office. Wait fer me, will ya?"

She looked deeply into the sea of pale blue, and saw that he had picked up on her discomfort. She looked away. "Sure Doc, I'll wait for ya."

After she closed the door, Doc turned to his patient, smiling. "Well, you look a bit better. How do you feel?"

She shrugged, not appearing to care. "Okay."

He sat on the edge of the bed, pulled his stethoscope from his bag, and listened to her chest. He checked the bruises and scrapes, then pulled the instrument from his neck, tossing it back into his bag. He leaned his hands on either side of her and smiled.

"You should eat something. How about a little broth?"

She looked down at the comforter. "I'm not really hungry."

He bent his head down, catching her pale eyes with his own. "I'm a pretty good cook, ya know..."

She couldn't resist returning the smile he gave her. "If that's what you want me to do, I could try it I suppose..."

His smile broadened, and he gently brushed the hair back from her face. "That's what I want you to do."

She nodded. "Okay." As he started to get up, she grabbed his arms. "Where are you going?"

"I'm just gonna go out there and make you a little broth." He reached for the bottle on the bedside table, pulling out a pill. "But I'm gonna give you another pill, because I want you to get some more sleep. It's the best thing for you right now."

She stared into the sincere eyes, and wondered if she could trust him; her need to trust him proving too strong. "Do you... do you have a family?"

He smiled at her and shook his head. "No, no family."

"A sweetheart?"

"No, no sweetheart."

"Why not?"

He smiled at her then, seeing the child in her coming to the forefront, instead of the abused young lady. "Because no woman in her right mind would marry me!"

"Don't you ever get lonely?"

The smile left his face. "Sure, sometimes I do."

"I feel lonely all the time." Her eyes darted to his then, checking to see if it was okay for her to say such things to him, and she could see that it was. "You're easy to talk to...my Pa - my real Pa - I could tell him anything." She looked away. "Not like it is now..."

He put his hands on either side of her face and gently pulled her head to face him. "You need to get some rest." He slipped the pill into her mouth, and gave her some water. "I'll have that broth ready fer ya when you wake up."

He started to get up, and once more she grabbed his arms tightly. "Stay till I fall asleep?"

He grinned at her, nodding. "Sure I will. Now you close those beautiful eyes..."

She closed them but immediately opened them, staring at him imploringly. "Sing to me?"

He laughed then, but to her it was the most pleasant sound she had heard since she had been very small. From the other side of the bedroom door, Kitty could hear his sweet voice softly singing; and she couldn't keep the irritation from rising in her throat. She stood and began to pace, wondering how much longer he would be; but momentarily she heard the door to the back room open, he stepped through, and closed it quietly behind him. While the smile on his face should have warmed her, it cut her deeply. He walked into the room, and sat down at his desk, tugging down on his right ear.

"She is just such a sweet little thing, and with some time and the right kind of caring in her life, she'll come around."

Kitty tried to keep her voice smooth, "She's quite taken with you, you know..."

He looked at her, his eyes soft with emotion. "That's good to hear, because I'm pretty taken with her."

It wasn't the answer Kitty had expected. "Then that works out well, I guess."

He heard the unsettling tone that he had picked up on earlier, and his brows narrowed. "Kitty? Is somethin' wrong?"

She looked at him, at the complete lack of malice, and her anger dissipated. She looked away, her voice growing soft. "No... I'm sorry, it's just been a long day."

He stood and walked over to her, putting his hands on her arms. "That answer might work with someone else, but this is me, good ol' Doc, remember?"

Her crystal blue eyes pierced him with intensity. "It's really nothing, Doc, I'm just in a foul mood is all, don't pay it any mind."

She pulled away from him, and his voice hardened. "It doesn't sound like a 'nothing'..."

Kitty picked up her coat, walked over to him, and stroked his face lightly with her hand. Without a word, she brushed his cheek with her lips, then turned and walked outside. And Doc Adams had a terrible feeling that something fundamental between them had just changed; for that tender moment had felt like a good-bye.


	8. Chapter 8

Matt gently guided Mary Stevenson by the arm as they walked up the boardwalk toward Doc's.

"You and your husband don't have more than one buckboard, do you, Mrs. Stevenson?"

She looked up at the tall marshal, confused. "Why no, Marshal, no. We ain't got that kinda money."

"Then I guess your husband must have found the wagon and horse that got away from you, because he came into town this morning on it looking for you and Cassie."

Alarm lit the woman's features. "Dell's here?"

"No ma'am, not anymore. I sent him home." He observed her muscles relaxing, and decided it was a good time to try and root out the truth. "Mrs. Stevenson, there isn't much I can do about any of this in terms of the law, but I can do even less if you don't tell me what really happened."

She shrugged him off. "Why Marshal, I've already told you what happened. Ain't nothin' gonna change it."

The double meaning made the marshal frown. "What about Cassie, Mrs. Stevenson?"

"What about her, Marshal Dillon?"

"She's just a girl..."

Mary glared at him. "She's a young lady, Mr. Dillon, and she is not your concern."

He shook his head as they headed up the stairs toward Adams' office. "Let's see how you feel about it after you see her..."

She stared at him hard, but said nothing. He opened the door for her, holding it while she brushed past him.

The marshal's voice boomed through the second floor office, "Doc? Hey, Doc!"

After a moment, Adams emerged from the back room, his stethoscope around his neck, and his hand pulling the glasses from his face.

"Hello, Matt, Mrs. Stevenson..."

Adams gently took Mary by the arm, and helped her sit down on the exam table.

She looked into his soft blue eyes. "I'd like to see my girl, Dr. Adams, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all, Mrs. Stevenson, but while you're here, I'd like a chance to make sure you're okay." He looked at Dillon. "Say Matt, Cassie's awake right now, why don't you have a chat with her, and I'll examine Mary for a few minutes out here?"

"That's fine, Doc, I've been waitin' to do just that."

As the marshal headed for the door, Doc's voice pierced him with a rough edge. "Don't upset her, Matt. She isn't too keen on talkin' about what happened, and I don't want anybody pushin' her."

Dillon looked into the narrowed pale eyes. "I wasn't plannin' on pushin' Doc, but you know I have to talk with her."

Adams looked away. "I know that." He glared at the marshal. "But she's my patient, and _my_ responsibility, so you just remember what I said."

Matt's eyebrows raised slightly at the implied threat, but he simply nodded and walked through the door. Adams turned his attention to Mary, slipping his glasses back on his face, and the stethoscope in his ears.

"Now, lemme take a listen here..."

"It's real nice you takin' an interest in Cassie. She ain't had much of that in her life."

He pulled the instrument from his ears, and looked into her eyes. "Seems to me you and Dell should be doing that." The barb hit home and the women's eyes glanced downward; and Doc felt regret. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Stevenson, that was out of line."

"No, Dr. Adams, you protectin' Cassie the way ya are, you have a right..."

He tilted her chin up toward him so that she would meet his eyes. "No one has the right to judge another human being; least of all a doctor." He let go of her chin, embarrassment coloring his cheeks. "I...well, I owe you an apology, Mrs. Stevenson."

"Dr. Adams, you've been so good to Cassie and me, you don't need to--"

He put the stethoscope to her chest once again. "--Oh hush, I need to listen..."

* * *

The young girl continued to randomly play with the material of the comforter, and her eyes were almost vacant as he spoke to her.

"Cassie, it's real important that you tell me the truth about the night that you...well, the night you and your mother were hurt."

She let out a sigh drenched in boredom. "Ain't there nothin' else you can talk about, Marshal? I don't have nothin' more ta say about that night. Doc Adams talks about all kinds of more interesting things with me..."

Matt twisted his hat around in his hands, trying to come to a decision about just how far he wanted to go; and he changed his tact. "You're real fond of Doc Adams, aren't you, Cassie?"

The girl showed genuine interest for the first time since Dillon had entered the room. "Sure I do. He's real nice to me."

"Isn't your Pa nice to you?"

Her eyes flicked up to look into his, and for the first time he saw emotion in them. "He ain't my Pa..."

"That's right, I forgot." He studied her for a moment, then continued, "Doc said he did more to you than a beating."

"He did not! And Doc Adams wouldn't tell you that. You're a liar!"

Dillon hated to hurt her, but in the end, it was convinced it was for her own good. "I'm telling you the truth, Cassie, I know what happened to you, Doc told me; I just want to hear your version of it."

Her voice raised almost to a shrill screech, "Doc wouldn't do that! He wouldn't! You get out of here!"

The door opened, and Doc stormed in, followed by Mary Stevenson.

"Hell and damnation, Matt, what do you think you're doing?" Doc went to the hysterical girl, sat on the edge of the bed, and pulled her into his arms. "It's all right, honey, just take it easy..."

She pushed him away with her fists against his chest. "Leave me alone! You're all liars... you're just like _him_."

The comment hit Doc as surely as if he'd been struck by a weapon. He tenderly pulled her close into his chest.

"No, Cassie, we're not all like Dell Stevenson. I promise you that..." She quieted down after a few minutes, and Doc gently brushed her hair back out of her face. "There now, that's better."

Her eyes darted over toward Dillon, then back to Doc. "Please, I don't wanna talk to him anymore..."

Doc brushed his thumb over her forehead. "Shhh...you don't have to do anything you don't want to, honey." He nodded toward Mary. "Mrs. Stevenson, take her fer me..."

Mary slid onto the bed and pulled the distraught girl into her arms. Doc stood and glared at Dillon.

"Matt, I wanna see you for a minute out in the office."

The two men walked out of the room, Doc closing the door behind them. Matt turned to face Adams, but the doctor was already out of the gate.

"I told you not to push her, Matt, that she'd upset easily. Butcha just went ahead and did what you damned well please, and now she's in there ballin' her eyes out. I'm probably gonna have to give her somethin' ta calm her down. What in the hell did you think you were doing?"

"Doc, take it easy--"

"--Don't you tell me to take it easy." Adams began pacing, his hands shoved deeply into his pockets. "That girl is fragile right now, Matt, and I don't mean just physically. The poor little thing tries to pretend she don't have any feelings most of the time, tryin' to protect herself, and you go in there bustin' her up." Adams stopped and stared at Dillon. "What did you say to her?"

"I didn't mean to upset her, Doc, I was just tryin' to get answers about the attack."

"The end justifies the means, oh fine..."

Dillon forced himself not to take the bait, and he held his voice to an even timbre, "I noticed that she tries to pretend she doesn't care about anything...why's she doing that?"

The ire in Adams' voice was in complete contrast to Dillon's calm, "I told you, it's a defense mechanism. She doesn't want to be hurt again. Can you blame her?"

Dillon looked down at his hat. "No, Doc, of course not." After a few long beats of stifling silence, Matt spoke softly, "I'm sorry, Doc, I just wanted her to say that it was Dell Stevenson that did it."

Adams let out a long sigh of air. "Thought you said there was nothin' you could do about it even if she did..."

"Well, there's no law about it, no..." He waited until Adams looked up at him. "But there's nothin' that says I can't scare Dell a little..."

Adams smiled slightly and shook his head. "I'm sorry fer yellin' atcha like that, Matt, but you shouldn't have distressed her so..."

Dillon squeezed Doc's shoulder. "You're awfully fond of her, aren't you?"

A sweet smile tugged at Doc's lips; it was a grin that Dillon rarely saw, except every now and again when Adams looked at Kitty.

Doc's voice took on a very tender quality, "That little girl's just as sweet as they come, Matt, and smart too. Cassie just needs to be encouraged in the right way, and there's no telling how all that potential might turn out."

"She's more than just a little girl, Doc..."

Adams glanced at Dillon and smiled. "Oh I know that, Matt, but she's mostly a little girl; especially to me..." The doctor's tone turned salty then. "That's why you'd better keep Dell Stevenson away from here, Matt, because if makes one move against that girl, I'll kill him."

"Doc!"

"I mean it, Matt. No child should be abused like that, neither a boy nor a girl; but especially not a girl." Doc's eyes narrowed, and Dillon recognized the stubborn stance of Doc's posture. "You just make sure he keeps his distance."

"Now Doc, the man does have a legal right to--"

"--to what? Abuse her?" Dillon couldn't think of anything to say, so Doc continued, "What happened to 'I could scare him?'"

"Yeah, I can, but there's no law that says he can't see her. Legally he's her parent, and that's the way it is, Doc."

"I don't know how you serve the law, Matt." Dillon looked at him, and he shook his head. "If Dell Stevenson wasn't her legal guardian, and he did something like that to her, you could put him in jail, couldn't you?"

"Yeah, Doc, if either Cassie or her mother filed a complaint, I sure could."

Adams shook his head. "It's just backward, Matt. The penalty should be even worse for a man who's supposed to be her parent..."

Doc couldn't finish the statement, and Matt gently pat his shoulder. "Let me know if you need anything, Doc."

"Yeah, sure, Matt. Thanks."

Dillon put his hat on his head and walked out of Doc's office. If Dell Stevenson did show his face around town, he needed to be prepared to keep him away from Adams; for Matt knew Doc would make good on his threat.


	9. Chapter 9

The candlelight flickered across Kitty's strong features as she stared into her plate, mindlessly pushing the food around with her fork. Dillon continued to study her, still unsure if her silence was somehow his fault, or if there was something else upsetting her. It was logical that if she were angry with him, she would have canceled their supper date; after all, it was her room, and she prepared the meal. Wordlessly he checked that possibilty off his list. He observed the slight frown wrinkling her brow, and wondered what she'd do if he just leaned over and kissed it away. But propriety maintained decorum, and Matt took another bite of lamb. The pall stretched on for another ten minutes, and finally, he could no longer stand it.

"Kitty?"

"Hmmm?"

"What's bothering you?"

She smiled weakly at him. "Nothing, Matt, really."

An eyebrow shot up, and he countered. "You seem awfully distracted tonight..."

"I'm sorry. It was a long day, I'm behind in my ledgers, and well, you know how it is..."

"Yeah. Yeah, sure." The awkward silence returned, and once again, he interrupted it. "Have I done something?"

She looked at him, sincerity in her eyes. "No Matt, no, of course not." She narrowed her eyes playfully then. "Unless you've done somethin' I don't know about..."

He laughed. "Nah. I've been too busy to get into any kind of trouble."

"What did you do today?"

"Aside from office paperwork, I took Mary Stevenson over to Doc's to visit Cassie, and I had a chance to ask Cassie some questions."

Her timbre remained quite even, "How'd that go?"

"Well, the girl's a bit odd."

"How do you mean?"

"She seems pretty uninterested in almost everything."

"Yeah, I noticed that too. Doc says it's because of what happened to her."

"Uh-huh. I got quite a rise out of her when I mentioned that Doc told me more was done to her than just a beating."

Kitty nodded. "I'll bet you did."

"She reacted like it was some kind of betrayal."

He saw something in Kitty's eyes then, but all she said was, "That's not surprising."

"She seems a little...stuck on Doc, doesn't she?"

Kitty took in a deep breath. "Yeah, you might say that all right."

Dillon didn't pick up on her pointed tone, and he added, "I've never seen him become this protective of any female aside from you. He told me he'd kill Dell Stevenson if the man tried to hurt her again." He licked his lips slightly. "Kitty, I think he means it."

Her voice turned flat, "Yeah, I'm sure he does."

Matt once again noticed the distance between them, and he reached across the table, taking her hand in his. "You sure eveything's okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

He shruggged. "I don't know. You just seem...a little out of sorts."

She yanked her hand away. "Well I'm not!"

"Oh, yes, I can see that..."

She stood, turning her back to him. Dillon walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. And he realized she was crying.

"Kitty?"

He turned her around, and ashamed, she hid her face in his chest. Dillon drew her to him, and held her close.

"What is it, Kitty?"

She shook her head against his chest, but the only sound she made was a muffled sob.

"You're crying like you've lost your best friend..."

Kitty looked up at him then, tears running down her cheeks. "I think I have, Matt. I really think I have..."

She wrapped her arms around his waist, and once again buried her face into him. Dillon rubbed her back softly.

"What's happened? What are you talking about?"

She sobbed into him, "It doesn't matter anymore. Please, just hold me, and don't let go, Matt."

Not understanding why she was so distraught, but determined to calm her, Dillon simply held her tightly, until finally, sensing she was exhausted, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. He settled onto it with her, and pulled her close to him. Kitty pressed into his warmth and comfort, needing to feel him close. As Matt nodded off, his breath heavy against her hair, the sensation of impending loss shrouded her. And for the first time since her father had deserted her in favor of somone else, Kitty Russell cried herself to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Chester had been looking for the marshal all morning, but there had been no sign of him. He continued to pace in front of the jailhouse scanning Front Street for the tall lawman, while Mary Stevenson sat impatiently in the buggy.

"Chester... Chester... can we go now?"

He nervously glanced in her direction. "Well now, Mrs. Stevenson, I really would like to let Mr. Dillon know where I'm gonna be. It's a bit of a ride out there and back, and he might be lookin' for me or something..."

"Chester, I can drive myself out there if it's too much bother."

"Oh, no ma'am, it's not a bother..." He looked up and down the street once more, and frustrated, he muttered, "Of all the mornings for him to be playin' hookey..."

"What was that, Chester?"

"Uh, nothing ma'am. I guess we'd better get goin'..." Chester climbed into the buggy next to Mary, and spoke once more, "Ma'am, are you sure you want to go home? I don't mean any disrespect or nothin' it's just, maybe it'd be better if you stayed here in Dodge for awhile longer..."

"Chester, I appreciate your concern, but I've studied on this a lot, and I think it's best for me to go home."

"Well, if you say so, ma'am." Against the gnawing thoughts of better judgment, Chester slapped the reins against the horse. "Giddup..."

* * *

Doc smiled, clutching the package under his arm. "Thanks Wilbur, thanks a bunch."

"You're welcome, Doc. I've got a girl almost Cassie's age, and I'm guessin' she's gonna like that dress." He paused for a moment, then said, "It might have been a good idea to have a woman here though, I'm just guessin' about the size..."

Doc shrugged. "I went by Ma Smalley's and couldn't find either Mrs. Stevenson or Mrs. Smalley; and Kitty wasn't around the Longbranch." He snorted derisively. "Women. Always around when you'd rather they were somewhere else, and when ya need 'em, they ain't nowhere to be found!"

Jonas laughed heartily with Adams, and pat him on the back. "Well, let me know if you need anything else, Doc." He winked at Adams. "I'll be happy to take some more of your money!"

Doc's face took on a slightly dour look. "Yeah, I just bet that you would, too!"

Adams walked out of the General Store, and headed toward his office.

* * *

Cassie ripped open the paper package, like a five-year old on Christmas, and her smile lit up the room.

"Doc! It's beautiful!" Disbelief filled her large eyes as she looked at him. "It's really for me?"

He looked around the room playfully. "I don't see any other young ladies standing around here, do you?"

She smiled broadly at him. "I ain't never had a store bought dress. Never..."

Uncomfortable with the emotions hanging in the room, Doc said, "Now I'm gonna go out to the office, and give you a chance to try that new dress on."

Just as he was about to walk out and close the door, she said, "Doc?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, honey." Her eyes teared up, and he teased her, "Now, I didn't just buy that dress fer you to hold in yer hands ya know, I wanna see a young lady _in_ it! You go try that on!"

He closed the door and grinned, and then shaking his head at himself, he walked over to his desk, and sat in the chair. The door to the office opened, and he looked up to see Dillon.

"Doc?"

"Hi Matt, come on in."

"You alone?"

Slightly confused by the question, Doc's voice held his surprise, "Well no, Cassie's in the back room..." Relief filled Dillon's features, prompting Adams to ask, "What's goin' on?"

"I can't find Mary Stevenson or Chester anywhere, and Moss Grimmick says that Chester came by early this morning to borrow a buggy."

Doc's eyebrows shot up. "Are you sayin' that Chester took Mary Stevenson out for a buggy ride? Matt, how could he!"

Dillon shook his head at the old man. "This isn't funny, Doc."

Adams chuckled to himself. "Maybe not to you..."

"Doc, I'm serious."

"So where'd they go?"

"Moss said something about Chester takin' Mary back home."

Doc stood, suddenly alarmed. "What? Matt, there's no tellin' what that man'll do to her..."

"Yeah, I've already thought about that. I just wanted to come by here and make sure Cassie was still with you."

"Well she is."

"Listen, I'm gonna ride out there, and--"

The door to the back room opened, and Cassie bounded out wearing the new dress, interrupting Dillon's statement. The two men turned and looked at the beautiful young woman standing before them.

Doc's eyes filled with pride, and his voice held unusual warmth, "Cassie...you look lovely. Just lovely."

Dillon nodded. "That looks real nice, Cassie."

She smiled at the two men, twirling around like a little girl. "Do you really think so? I mean, would this dress be a proper courtin' dress?"

Doc's voice took on mock sternness, "Courtin'? You're barely out of yer sick bed, and yer worry'n about courtin'? As the old man of the house here, they'll be no makin' half the young men of Western Kansas miserable, until you've had more time to get better!"

"Oh, Doc!"

She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Grinning, Doc pat her back, and then pulled away.

"I'm awful glad you like it, Cassie."

Dillon watched the girl, and couldn't help but feel edgy; the change in her from the previous day was striking. She held onto Doc's hands tightly, smiling at him, and Matt realized that her level of trust in Adams had grown tremendously, giving her the confidence to be the young lady she was, as opposed to the closed down, frightened child he'd spoken with yesterday. And the worry began to churn in his belly.

He dissolved the distressing thoughts by broaching the subject at hand. "Cassie, did your mother mention anything to you about leaving Dodge?"

She met Dillon's eyes, but subconsciously moved closer to Doc. "No..." Concern clouding her features, she turned to Adams. "Doc? Where's my Ma?"

"Now don't worry, Cassie, I'm sure everything is fine, but she and Chester headed out to your farm this morning."

She put her hands on Doc's chest. "No, Doc, please, you have to stop them! He'll hurt her, I know he will." She looked at Dillon. "Please, Marshal, do something!"

"I'm headin' out there now, Cassie. You just promise to stay here with Doc until I get back though, okay?"

The girl nodded, and Doc wrapped an arm around her waist. "Don't worry Matt, she's not goin' anywhere." Cassie laid her head on his shoulder, curling her face into his neck.

As Matt hit the door, he looked back at Adams. "Doc, if Dell should come here for any reason, don't do anything rash."

Adams' pale eyes met Dillon's shimmering blue ones. "I meant what I said before, Matt. If he makes one move toward her, I'll kill him."

"Doc--"

"--You'd better get going, Matt."

"Yeah."

Dillon shut the door harder than he needed to, the sound causing Cassie to shudder. Adams held her closer, patting her back gently.

"Don't you worry, honey. Nothin's gonna happen to ya while I'm here, I promise."

* * *

Matt pushed Buck a little harder as he sped along the road leading out to the Stevenson homestead. It was plenty cold, and his horse was probably more comfortable working harder than not, but on some level, Dillon felt a little guilty making the animal run full out for so long. He looked ahead, and saw a buggy approaching. As it came closer, he saw that it was Chester.

Goode stopped the buggy and waved his hat. "Mr. Dillon! Mr. Dillon!"

Matt came to a stop right next to the buggy. "Chester...why did you take Mary Stevenson home?"

"Well Mr. Dillon, I looked all over Dodge for ya, I really did, but I couldn't find ya nowhere, and well, Mrs. Stevenson was insisting that she go home, and said if I didn't do it, she'd do it herself, and well now, you know Mr. Dillon, I couldn't possibly let a woman go alone all the way out--"

"--Okay, okay." Matt let out a long-suffering sigh. "What was the situation when you left?"

Chester swallowed hard, discomfort stretching across his face. "The situation?"

"Yeah, what were Mary and Dell doing when you left?"

"Well, Mr. Dillon, I don't rightly know--"

"--Chester! Just tell me what they were doing."

"Mr. Stevenson was holdin' a shotgun on me, and frankly, I don't rightly know what Mrs. Stevenson was doin' at that point."

"A shotgun?"

"Yes sir." Chester swallowed again. "He told me to get off his land and leave him and his wife alone."

"Okay. You head back to Dodge."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to make sure he understands that if any harm comes to his wife, they'll be hell to pay."

"Yes sir."

Chester watched as Dillon rode off quickly. He put his hat back on his head, and slapped the reins against the horse.

"Come on ya ol' glue bucket, I'd like ta get back ta town afore nightfall..."

* * *

Dillon rode up toward the house cautiously, and didn't get down from his horse when he yelled to the occupants.

"Mr. Stevenson! It's Marshal Dillon. I'd like to talk with you."

After a moment or so, the door opened, and Dell walked out, holding a shotgun.

"Whaddya want, Dillon?"

"I'd like to speak to your wife."

"She's busy." He held the shotgun higher. "And I got things to do better'n standin' here jawin' with you."

"Unless you intend to use that thing, and hang for killin' a U.S. Marshal, I suggest you call your wife out here."

Stevenson held Matt's eyes for a long moment, than yelled toward the house. "Mary, git on out here!"

Mrs. Stevenson appeared in the doorway. "Howdy Marshal."

"Mrs. Stevenson...is everything all right?"

"Of course, Marshal. I'm just makin' some dinner fer Dell is all."

He looked at the woman meaningfully. "Cassie was worried about you comin' out here..."

"Aw, well, you tell her not to fret. Everything's just fine, ain't it Dell?"

"Yeah, real peachy." He looked back at Dillon. "I want my girl back out here, Dillon. She belongs here with her Ma and Pa."

Matt ignored the man. "Cassie'll want to see you soon, Mrs. Stevenson, when are you going to come into town?"

Dell broke in. "You send that girl out here to see her Ma, Dillon."

Matt's voice turned acrid, "Doc Adams says she isn't ready to travel, so Mrs. Stevenson will have to come to Dodge." He looked hard at Dell. "And it had better be within a few days if you don't want to see me back out here."

"Don't worry, Marshal," Mary's voice was soft, "I'll come see Cassie."

"Fine then," Dell spat, "I'll jist visit her with you."

"No you won't, Stevenson," Matt said, "only Mrs. Stevenson." He smiled at the man. "But it's a good idea that you drive the buckboard for your wife, and then you can come to the office and we'll have a little talk."

"I ain't got nothin' more to say to you."

"Uh-huh. Well, you just remember everything I've said."

Stevenson held the shotgun closer. "And you just remember that even marshals can be hit by stray bullets."

"So can husbands who beat their wives..." Dillon tipped his hat to Mary. "Ma'am."

Without another word, Marshal Dillon rode off; with any luck, he could make Dodge by nightfall.


	11. Chapter 11

It was a cloudy and cold night, the air heavy with the threat of a new snow. As Matt rode into the south end of town, the extreme quiet of Front Street made him shiver. He rode straight to Doc's, and as he expected, the lantern light was still aglow in the window; he hoped the old man had a pot of coffee warming on the stove. Matt tied Buck to a hitching post, and took the stairs two at a time. He tried the door only to find that it was locked.

"Who is it?" Doc's gruff voice asked from within.

"It's Matt, Doc."

The lock clicked, and the door opened.

"Well, hurry up and get in here, and don't let all the dag-blamed cold air rush in."

Dillon stepped in, and glanced down at Doc's desk: the old .36 Colt sitting there didn't give him a good feeling, but for the time being, he left it alone.

"It's a cold one tonight, Doc."

"Come on, sit over here with me by the stove, and have a cup of coffee. It'll warm ya up."

"Thanks."

Matt sat down, and stretched his hands near the belly of the old stove. It was several minutes before Adams asked about the Stevenson's.

"Everything was okay out there?"

"Yeah. At least for now."

Adams sighed. "A man like that just shouldn't have a family, Matt."

Dillon nodded. "I told them both that we would expect to see Mary back in town in a couple of days to visit with Cassie."

Adams couldn't keep the alarm from his voice, "I don't want Dell Stevenson here, Matt--"

"--Take it easy, Doc. I told him he could drive her in, but that he wasn't welcome in your office."

"Bet he didn't like that, no sir."

"No, he didn't, but for now, I don't think he's gonna argue about it."

"That's fine then."

Matt looked softly at his old friend. "Doc, what are you gonna do when the time comes for Cassie to go home?"

Adams head snapped sharply to face Dillon. "She ain't goin' back there."

"Doc, she's a seventeen year old girl who has a family with legal rights to her. If they want her, there's nothing you can do about it."

Adams timbre turned caustic, "What about what _she_ wants? Doesn't Cassie count in all this?"

Dillon tried to keep his voice gentle, "Doc, you're letting your emotions get the best of you--"

Adams abruptly stood and started pacing. "--Oh hell. Why shouldn't this be an emotional issue? We're talking about a girl's life, Matt; about her safety. We can't send her back to that man, knowing what he'll do to her."

"Doc, the law is on their side."

"Then the law is wrong."

"And what about Cassie's mother? Do you think she should have to give up her daughter?"

"I like Mary Stevenson, she's a nice woman, but she's doing nothing to protect her child, and in my book, that's not parenting."

Dillon's tone was filled in disapproval, "That's a pretty harsh judgment, don't you think, Doc?" And the doctor was suddenly quiet, so Matt continued, his voice a little kinder, "Look, I know you want to protect Cassie, but it's not your job--"

The angry pale eyes flared into Dillon. "--Well just whose job is it, Mr. Marshal?"

Matt let out a long sigh of air. "How do you know that Cassie doesn't want to go back home?"

"She needs a father, Matt, someone who'll love her, and take care of her, she deserves that."

"You didn't answer my question."

"I _don't_ know, but we'll ask her."

Dillon played along. "And if she says she doesn't want to go home, what then?"

Adams looked hard at the marshal. "We'll take it to court."

"What? You can't do that..."

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do. Did you know that there was a case not too long ago that went through the courts in New York City? I read about it in the newspaper. Poor little girl was bein' abused by her stepmother, and Henry Bergh - that fella who founded that society to protect animals - well he used animal abuse laws to convince the court that the child deserved the same kind of protection."

"Doc, Dodge isn't New York City. The State of Kansas doesn't even have laws protecting animals..."

"Well gosh darn it, Matt, I know that. I ain't senile yet, ya know..."

Dillon's eyebrows raised, a comment on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it. For several minutes, Matt observed Doc pacing across his floor, brow furrowed in thought, hands tightly balled in his pockets. The big marshal stood then, and walked over to his friend, placing a caring hand on his shoulder.

"Doc... let's just say for a minute that by some miracle, you win such a case. She's a seventeen year old girl, how's she going to support herself? Where is she going to go then?"

"Go? Well Matt, she doesn't have to go anywhere..."

And it hit Dillon as surely as a well-aimed bullet. "Now wait a minute...Doc, you can't be serious."

"Oh but I am." He stared intently into Dillon's eyes. "Matt, there comes a time when a man has to do more than _say_ what he believes; he has to act on it." The old doctor looked away, his voice growing regretful, "I don't have any kids of my own, Matt, and I couldn't love this little girl more."

Dillon's voice was gentle yet with a tinge of reproach, "She's not a little girl."

"She is to me," Doc replied tenderly, his pale blue eyes misting slightly over.

And Matt Dillon had to make a choice between brutal honesty as he saw it, or avoidance for the sake of a dream. He sighed deeply, and tried to make his voice soothing, "Doc, I don't think she feels the same way about you as you do about her."

Doc couldn't keep an amused smile from his face. "Ya don't think she likes me much, huh?"

"Oh she likes you all right, she likes you a lot; I just don't think it's in the same way that you like her."

As Dillon's meaning sunk in, Doc's smile turned to a frown. "Oh that's...well that's foolishness! I'm old enough to be her father; hell, I'm _older_ than that..."

"Yeah, you're probably old enough to be her _grand_father--"

"--Well now, I ain't that old--"

"--Uh-huh--"

"--Well I ain't."

"Doc, you'd better think carefully about all this; if you say you want her to live with you, she might take it the wrong way, ya know."

"Oh for corn's sake. I'm not listenin' to any more of this tonight. You just...you just get outta here, Matt!"

Dillon rubbed Doc's shoulder. "Get some sleep, ya ol' country croaker, and I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah, all rightcha smart aleck..."

Matt stepped out onto the cold landing of Doc's office, and looked back through the window as the old man quietly stuck his head into the back room to check on Cassie. It was already too late to spare his old friend; Doc loved her like his own flesh and blood, and the destruction of that bond would cut Doc down as surely as a bullet ripping through his heart. Matt's stomach pulled into a knot as he gently gathered Buck's reins in his hands, leading the horse to the livery; he couldn't picture a scenario in which Adams didn't get hurt. And then it hit him: _Kitty._ She would know what to do; in matters of the heart, women always did...


	12. Chapter 12

"He's going to do _what?_"

Matt swallowed hard as he realized his error in judgment, but it was too late.

"Now Kitty, just calm down--"

Her voice was filled with ire, "--I will _not_ calm down. Doc has lost his mind. Doesn't he realize that Cassie doesn't love him like a daughter? Matt, she's _in_ love with him."

Dillon's eyes opened wider. "Didn't I just say that?"

Kitty continued on as if he hadn't spoken, her eyes sparkling with anger. "How does he think he's going to support her?"

"Well I--"

"--He barely makes enough money out of this town to take care of himself, much less a seventeen year old girl."

"Well he--"

"--I oughta know, I have to buy his drinks for him often enough. She's going to need clothes, food, maybe some books - hell, he's going to have to get a house, that office isn't big enough for two people to live there, and what happens when he has a patient who needs to stay in the back room?"

"Well I'm sure that--"

"--And how is he going to explain to her the difference between fatherly love and marital love?"

"I don't--"

"--He barely even knows this child. I know he gets awful lonely sometimes, but he's got all of us; and I don't know if he still does, but he _used_ to think of us as family. My God, Matt, the man's just not thinking clearly."

She looked directly at him, expecting a response, but Dillon just stared at her. Her crystal blue eyes narrowed.

"Well don't you have anything to say about this?"

His eyebrows raised slightly. "I don't think Doc's the only one who isn't thinking clearly right now..."

He took a sip of his coffee, and watched the anger working on her face from over the rim of the cup.

She made no attempt to cover the bite in her voice, "What do you mean by that, Matt?"

He shrugged and set the cup down on its saucer. "You just seem a little overwrought about this, Kitty." She remained silent, so he continued, "Is this what was upsetting you the other night?"

She looked down, and Dillon knew he had it right. He touched the top of her hand with his.

"I've never known you to be a jealous person, Kitty. What's really bothering you?"

She pursed her lips, and toyed with the cup handle between her fingers. "I'm very angry."

Dillon didn't understand. "At Doc?"

"Yes...well, no. Oh, I don't know." Her saddened blue eyes looked at him, and he wanted to pull her into his arms to ease her sorrow. Dillon barely heard her whisper, "It hurts."

His timbre was soft and loving, "Kitty, Doc would never intentionally hurt you, and you know it. He loves you as if you were his very own--"

"--Then why is he replacing me?"

The fury in her tone caused Matt to feel as if he'd been slapped. He frowned, unable to conceive what the old doctor could have said or done to have wrought such a reaction.

Matt's tone was firm, "He isn't replacing you."

"Yes, he is, and you know, I don't suppose it even matters anymore." She stood abruptly. "I don't have any more time to waste on this nonsense, I have work to do. Good luck with all of it, Matt, you're gonna need it."

Kitty walked through the empty saloon, heading back toward her office, leaving Dillon to ponder what was truly behind such an intense response. Knowing the story of how her father discarded her, he could well imagine that it was somehow wrapped up in those deep-seated feelings; but the one person she had shared it with, was in fact the very man at the crux of her anger. Matt was certain that Doc was unaware that Kitty was grieving him as if he'd abandoned her; and yet to mention it would be a breach of trust that Kitty might never forgive. The marshal sighed heavily: he almost wished he'd never heard of Cassie Stevenson.

* * *

Mary Stevenson cowered in the corner of the kitchen, trying to cover her face with her hands. Dell stood over her, a piece of kindling in his hand, poised to strike yet again.

"Damn you, woman, I'm tired of tellin' ya that it's my right as your husband. You keep fightin' me like ya are, and I'm gonna have ta hurtcha bad."

Her voice shook with the fear of terror, "Please Dell...please, don't hit me no more."

"Then you git to that bed, and you act like a proper wife. You do it, or I'll go git Cassie..."

The threat proved good. "Oh no, Dell, no, leave her be. I'll do whatever you want. You'll see..."

Wiping the blood from her face, Mary slowly stood, her widened eyes staring at Dell, preparing to duck if he moved. But instead, a sickening smile spread across his face as she headed toward their bedroom. He began to set the kindling down on the table, and then thought better of it; it could yet prove useful...

* * *

Doc took another mouthful of roast beef, and watched Cassie take a bite of her meatloaf. He took a sip of his coffee.

"How's the meatloaf, honey?"

She smiled. "It's really good, Doc." She looked around Delmonico's with the naiveté of a child. "I've never eaten in a restaurant before, it's real nice." Her pale blue eyes flicked up to meet his, the fondness in them apparent. "I don't know how to thank you proper..."

The old doctor grinned sweetly at her. "Just seein' you smile's enough for me, sweetheart."

So engrossed was he in the young lady across from him, Doc failed to notice Kitty stop in her tracks at the front door. The tall redhead silently observed the two of them.

Cassie watched him take another sip of his coffee, and her curiosity got the better of her. "Why do grown men drink so much coffee?"

His eyebrows raised in amusement. "Probably because we're so old we need help ta know we're still alive!"

"Oh Doc, you're not old..."

His eyes twinkled at her, but Matt's words of warning replayed in his mind. Still smiling, he changed the subject. "Now I hope you're savin' room for some pie, honey."

Doc's use of the familiar term that had always been limited to her, stabbed Kitty like a knife in her heart.

Cassie's large eyes grew larger at the thought of pie. "There's _more_ after this?"

"You betcha there is!"

She reached over and took his cup of coffee, her eyes darting up to his to see if it was all right. When he just smiled at her, she took a sip of the dark liquid, making a slight face.

"It's so strong!"

Doc's eyes brightened with mischief. "If you think that's strong, sweetheart, you'd better stay away from Matt's office, Chester's coffee'd curl yer hair!"

Kitty felt the sting of tears in her eyes, and was about to leave when Al saw her. "Good evening, Miss Kitty, a table for supper, or would you like to join Doc?"

"I wasn't invited to have supper with Doc, and I wouldn't dream of intruding..."

The snap of temper in her voice made Al swallow hard before speaking again. "A table for one then?"

But it was too late, Doc had seen her, and waved her over. "Kitty! Come on and join us..."

She heaved a long sigh, but he was already standing, holding out a chair for her. Reluctantly, Kitty walked over, let Adams remove her coat for her, and she sat down. Doc scooted her chair in, handed her coat to Al, and returned to his seat. The beaming smile on his face only added to Kitty's indignation.

"I'm glad you happened by, Kitty, I can't think of anything better than havin' supper with my two favorite girls."

Cassie's smile matched his, but Kitty's never reached her eyes. Doc caught it, but wasn't sure if he had simply imagined it. Trying to make polite conversation, Russell turned to the young woman.

"That's a lovely new dress, Cassie, did you just get it?"

"Yes, Miss Russell, isn't it the grandest thing you've ever seen? Doc bought it for me."

Doc knew he saw something in Kitty's eyes then, and decided to silently observe the two women. He took a sip of his coffee, and almost spat it out when he picked up on the acrid tone coming from Kitty.

"Very extravagant gift considering that nine times out of ten people pay for Doc's services with vegetables and promises." She looked at Doc then, unable to hide her anger from him. "Did you come into some money, or did you rob a bank?"

Not prepared for such a public attack, Doc just stared at her for a moment. When he spoke, it was without malice, which angered Kitty even further. "I'm not sure I understand what yer gettin' at, Kitty."

She stood, glaring at him, and he scrambled up from his chair out of courtesy. "If you're that well-heeled, then I'll let you pay for your drinks at the Longbranch from now on." She smiled politely at Cassie. "You be sure to have some pie, _honey_, it's excellent here."

Her inflection on the term of endearment wasn't wasted upon him, and Doc felt his cheeks flush with anger, but he held his tongue.

Cassie was confused. "Aren't you going to stay and eat with us, Miss Russell?"

She pat the young woman on the shoulder. "No dear, I'm afraid I'm not very hungry." Her eyes turned on Adams, and he felt them sear into him. "Have a good evening, Doc."

His voice was soft and bewildered, "Uh, yes, Kitty, you too..."

She stormed out of Delmonico's, not even bothering to retrieve her coat, even though it had begun to snow outside. Doc sat back down in his chair, feeling as though his heart had just been ripped from his chest. Noting that his eyes had lost their sparkle, Cassie reached across the table, gently touching his hand.

"Doc? Are you all right?"

He forced himself to smile at her, and took her hand softly in his, reassuring her. "Yes, of course, honey. I'm sorry...I'm just a little worried is all."

"What are you worried about?"

He smiled broader at her then, although it didn't reach his eyes. "Nothing at all for you to be concerned with, sweetheart. Come on, let's get you that piece of pie!"

The genuine grin on Cassie's face spread like a salve over his burning chest; but nothing could erase the look of desolation he had seen in Kitty's eyes, especially knowing, that somehow, he was the cause of it.


	13. Chapter 13

"Do ya really think he means it, Mr. Dillon?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah, Chester, I think he means it."

"Well I'll be... I never would have guessed that the ol' rooster had it in him."

One of Dillon's eyebrows raised in amusement. "How's that, Chester?"

"Well, Mr. Dillon, you know how ol' Doc can be kinda...well, kinda..."

"Crusty?"

Chester sipped his beer and nodded. "Yeah, crusty."

"Well Chester, lurking somewhere beneath that salty exterior lies a pretty soft heart."

Chester grunted derisively, causing Matt to laugh. Kitty walked through the front door then, looking chilled to the bone, and without a coat. Matt set his beer down on the bar, and as she swished past him, he took her arm, concern tugging at his rugged features.

"Kitty?"

"Let me go, Matt."

His brow knitted together. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She looked into his eyes, hers imploring him to comply. "Please let me go."

He watched her move quickly into the back office, and concern knotted his stomach.

Chester's voice belied confusion, "What's wrong with Miss Kitty?"

"I don't know, Chester." Matt took another sip of beer and set the mug on the bar. "But I'm going to find out. You take my rounds for me, will ya, and let me know if there's a problem."

"Sure thing, Mr. Dillon. I'll get to it right now."

Chester left the saloon, and Dillon walked through the door to the back office, closing it gently behind him.

"Kitty?"

Her heard the muffled sounds of weeping, and found her sitting at her desk, her head on her arms, crying. He tilted his hat back on his head, and sighed deeply, trying to think of something to say. After a moment, he put his hands gently on her shoulders.

"Kitty..."

When she didn't respond, he took her into his arms, lifting her out of the chair, and pulling her close.

His voice was soft with love, "What is it?" She shivered, and he rubbed his arms over her body. "You're so cold."

Kitty pressed into him, trying to sink into his warmth. Her voice sounded calmer than he expected, "I can't stand this feeling, Matt."

"What feeling?"

"Of being dismissed."

"This about Doc?" When she nodded her head against him, he continued, "I told you before, he wouldn't do that. Especially not to you."

"It's how it feels."

"Then you're overreacting."

She looked up at him then, but he saw no spite. "I don't mean to be."

"I know that." He rubbed his hands over her lower back as a lover would. "What happened?"

"I ran into them having supper at Delmonico's..."

"Doc and Cassie?"

"Yes."

When she didn't continue, Matt prompted, "And?"

"And I was pretty hard on him."

"I'll bet you caught him completely off-guard too, didn't you?"

"Seemed that way."

"You see, he doesn't think anything's changed."

"But it has, Matt."

He put his hands on her face. "Kitty, the only thing that's changed is the way you're treating him. I'll bet if you asked him about it, he'd tell you that."

"I'm not--" She paused for a long moment, then started again, "I'm not a good enough person, Matt."

He frowned at her. "That's not true, Kitty. It's not true at all." He looked deeply into her crystal blue eyes, and his eyes held hers. "You're just afraid. You're afraid of being hurt again, in the way that your father did. No one could blame you for that; Doc wouldn't."

She gently broke out of his embrace, and walked further into the room, her arms wrapped around herself. "Doc taking in a surrogate-daughter; I don't think I can handle this, Matt."

"Sure you can."

She turned back to face him sharply. "No, I can't. Doc's been more of a father to me in my life than my own, but he's no different. I've become old hat, comfortable...just 'good ol' Kitty.'"

Matt shook his head; he wasn't going to be able to reason with her. It would be up to Doc, if she gave him the opening. "Well, I don't agree with you, but it's pretty clear that I can't convince you." He kissed her forehead softly. "I wish you'd at least give him the chance to speak for himself though, instead of making up his mind for him."

She shook her head. "No. I can't do that." Tears filled her eyes. "I can't go through it again, Matt. When my father left me, it nearly destroyed me." She slammed a hand on her desk, anger once again asserting itself. "Damn I didn't want to trust Doc. I fought against trusting him. But he reeled me in, making me think I was important to him, only to find out it was convenient. It's my father all over again..."

He touched her shoulders lightly. "You can trust him, Kitty; Doc isn't your father."

She shook her head. "Matt...I'd really like to be alone right now."

He nodded, pulling his hands back. "Okay, Kitty. But if you need me..."

She turned, and pressed her lips onto his for a moment. "Thanks cowboy." She looked into his shimmering blue eyes. "You're the one man that I really can trust."

He leaned down and kissed her once more. "Yes, but I'm not the _only_ one."

Without another word, Matt turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Kitty stared after him for a moment, contemplating his words: if only she could believe in them.

* * *

Doc opened the door for Cassie, and she walked into the office. He closed the door, lit a lantern, set Kitty's coat that he had taken from Delmonico's down on a chair, and rubbed his hands together. 

"Gosh but it's cold in here..."

Cassie watched him light a fire in the stove, and he turned to take her coat off. He hung the coat up on the rack, but remained in his.

"Aren't you going to take your coat off, Doc?"

"Not just yet, honey. Now, I want you to go on to bed, and I'll be back in a little while."

A frown spread across her face. "Where are you going?"

"I want to take Kitty's coat back to her."

"Can't it wait until morning?"

He shook his head. "No, this really can't."

Cassie didn't pick up on the double meaning. "How long will you be gone?"

He smiled gently at her. "Not that long. Now you do as I say, go to bed, and get some rest. I'll lock the door, so you don't have to worry, all right?"

She nodded, and sighed deeply. "If you say so."

"I do." He kissed her forehead sweetly, and turned her toward the door to the back room. "Off you go!"

Cassie went into the room, closing the door behind her. Doc picked up Kitty's coat, walked out the door, and locked it from the outside. He slipped the key into his pocket and headed down the stairs. The snowfall was picking up, and he shivered inside his coat. Kitty's outburst earlier set his mind thinking back on everything that had transpired over the past several days, and the pieces of her behavior were beginning to fit a pattern. Adams shook his head: he loved Kitty more than any man could outside of Matt. It made his heart sick to realize that her paternal insecurity had caused her to question that love. He sighed deeply. Knowing Kitty's past as well as he did, he should have seen it coming; her relationship with her father had touched everything in her life. He _should_ have seen it coming, but he had selfishly been caught up in his own joy at the opportunity to shower love on a young girl who had been mistreated so dreadfully.

But Kitty was more fragile than people believed; and it was the very fact that she had let him view her inner vulnerability that was causing her to fear his abandonment. Doc shook his head. The human psyche was so much more complex than the human anatomy, and far more difficult to diagnose and treat. Doc felt anger in that moment toward Kitty's father; the man had been given a wonderful gift, a daughter who loved him and would have been devoted to him. But he had thrown her away for a con artist who married him for the money she thought he possessed, and who didn't want the competition of his daughter's affection. It was ironic: Mr. Russell was as much of a con artist as his new wife, both having married the other for money that neither of them possessed. And the one who had been hurt the most was the child he left behind.

The wind picked up and whipped through his coat as regret filled him. Death had cheated him out of his family; out of raising the daughter he had loved more than anything in life. His heart had been nothing more than a crushed shell until he met Kitty. He had needed her as much as she had needed him; perhaps more, for there was nothing so hollow as a man with no one to love. The thought of Kitty being ripped from his life made his heart skip a beat; and he realized the same could be said of Cassie. Doc needed both of them, and there was more than enough room and enough love. Kitty would understand that with time, and with his reassurance that no one could ever take the place she occupied in his heart.

* * *

When Doc entered the Longbranch, the solemn quiet struck him. There weren't many men there, and a cursory glance around the room told him that Kitty wasn't either. He walked over to the bar.

"What can I getcha Doc?"

"Oh, nothing, Clem, thanks. Listen, I just stopped by to see Kitty fer a minute. Is she around?"

He shook his head. "'Fraid not, Doc. She already went to bed, and asked not to be disturbed." The bartender noted the profound disappointment on the doctor's face. "Something I can help ya with, Doc?"

Doc's voice was soft, "Oh no, no thanks, Clem." He handed the bartender the coat over the bar. "Here...she left this over at Delmonico's tonight, I wanted to make sure to bring it by."

"Sure, thanks Doc."

The old man nodded, and started to turn away, when he added, "Tell her...tell her I'm sorry I missed her."

Clem could hear an emptiness in the old man's voice that landed hard in his stomach. "Sure I will Doc. Are ya certain there ain't nothin' I can do?"

Doc smiled sadly. "No Clem, but thanks fer askin'...Good night."

The old doctor turned and walked away. "Good night, Doc."

* * *

The snow was falling much harder by the time Doc slipped the key into the locked door of his office. He quietly stepped in, closing the door behind him. He pulled off his coat and hat, hanging them on the coat rack, and he walked further into the room. Momentarily, the door to the back room opened, and Cassie, in a nightgown and robe, padded in.

"Cassie...you're supposed to be in bed, honey."

"I know. I couldn't sleep."

"Ya couldn't?" She shook her head, and looked to him like a little girl afraid of the dark. "Well, why couldn'tcha?"

She ran to him then, throwing her arms around him, snuggling her face into the soft flesh of his neck. He put his arms around her, patting her back.

"Here now, what's the matter?"

Her voice was small, "I was scared..."

"Ya were?" She nodded, and he continued, "What scared ya?"

She looked up at him then, her big pale blue eyes carrying the innocence of a child. "You weren't here."

"Well now, honey, you're gonna have to get used to some of that. They'll be nights when I'm gonna have to go out on calls ya know..."

"Can't I go with you?"

He shook his head, a slight smile lighting his lips. "No, sweetheart." He brushed her hair back sweetly with his hand. "You're still a growing girl; you need to sleep nights, not traipse around the prairie with an ol' country doctor."

"I'm not a little girl, Doc..."

Cassie stared into his endless depths of caring pale blue, and having envisioned the moment over and over, wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself into him. Before Doc had a chance to gently push her away, she covered his mouth with hers, kissing him ardently. As delicately as he could, he extricated himself from her embrace, smiling kindly at her. A frown started to crease her forehead, and he put his arm around her and led her to the chair next to his desk.

"I wanna talk to you a fer a minute, Cassie..." He sat down in his desk chair, and reached out to take her hand in his, softly rubbing the top of it with his thumb. "There are a lot of different kinds of love, honey. There's the love a man has for a woman when he's courtin' her; the love a man has for his brother; and there's the love a father has for a daughter. Now you've been cheated out of that last one a little because your father died when you were a small girl, and Dell Stevenson ain't no kinda man to give it to you. And when a young girl hasn't been shown a lot of love, it's real easy for her to mistake one kind fer another."

Cassie slammed her eyes shut against his words, and gently, Doc brushed his fingers over her cheek until she looked at him again.

"I know this is hard for a girl your age, but I also know that someday you'll meet a young man and you'll fall head over heels in love with him."

"But I love you, Doc."

"I know ya do, sweetheart. But whether ya know it or not, ya love me like you did your real Pa. It's just been a lot of years, and now you're developin' a young woman's emotions, and you've sorta confused it with another kind of love." Tears began to fill her eyes, and he pulled her over into his lap, wrapping his arms around her like a father would a small girl, pressing her head down onto his chest. "A very long time ago, there was another little girl I loved an awful lot who was taken from me; but I'd sure like it if you'd just...well if you'd just sorta adopt me..."

She cried into his chest, "It's because Miss Kitty doesn't like me, isn't it?"

"Oh honey, that's not true. Where'd ya get an idea like that?"

"She seemed real mad when she left Delmonico's tonight..."

"That had nothing to do with you, sweetheart. Kitty's' just a little upset at me right now, that's all. It's nothin' fer you to worry about."

But instead of being comforted, Cassie began to sob into him, gripping his neck tightly with her arms. He pat her back softly, shushing her tenderly. After several minutes, she calmed slightly.

"She's gonna make you send me back to him, isn't she?"

"Is that what you think?"

She nodded. "I thought if I could make you a good wife, I wouldn't ever have to go back there again..."

The desperation in her voice made his heart sick, and he pulled her closer. "Cassie, unless you want to, you don't ever have to go back to Dell Stevenson - and you don't have to marry an old man to do it. You can stay here with me, if that's what you want; I'd love nothin' more than to have a daughter to dote on..."

She looked into his eyes then, the tears streaming down her face, dripping onto his shirt. "Do you mean it?"

"You bet I do."

She grabbed his neck in a tight hug. "Oh Doc...I love you!"

He rubbed her back softly. "Now I want you to get to bed. You should have been asleep a long time ago."

The little girl in her emerged once again. "Will you sing to me?"

"I sure will, sweetheart."

Cassie stood up, and pulling Doc by the hand, headed toward her room.


	14. Chapter 14

Chester took a long sip from his coffee mug and smiled. "This here's a perfect pot, Mr. Dillon."

Dillon looked into the cup of mud on his desk, and swallowed the comment on the tip of his tongue. All he said was, "Uh-huh..."

Chester looked out the window of the jail, as he had done several times in the past half hour, scanning Front Street. Dillon set the _Wanted_ posters he was looking at aside for a moment, and observed his assistant.

"Uh...Chester?"

Turning quickly as though caught with his hand in the money pot, Chester stared at the marshal innocently. "Yes, Mr. Dillon?"

"What are you waiting for?"

"Mr. Dillon?"

"You keep looking out the window like you're waitin' for something..."

Chester grinned sheepishly. "Well I...well...well gosh Mr. Dillon, we ain't seen Doc for morning coffee in I don't know how long."

Matt smiled at Goode. "I know how you feel, Chester, but it hasn't really been that long. And I think Doc's had his hands full."

"Oh I know he has, Mr. Dillon, it just seems a shame that we ain't seen him for coffee." Chester smiled again. "And you know how Doc loves a free cup of coffee..."

The door opened to the office, and both men looked up expectantly, hoping the town doctor was making an appearance; but instead, Dell and Mary Stevenson walked in. Dillon stood, noting the slight swelling of the left side of Mary's face that she was unsuccessfully trying to hide behind her bonnet.

"Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson, this is...a surprise."

Mary smiled. "Good morning, Marshal, Chest--"

"--We ain't here to make pleasantries," Dell interrupted, "We're here to get our daughter."

Dillon's stomach dropped to his knees, but his voice remained even. "I've told you before, Stevenson, it's up to Doc to say when Cassie's fit enough to be out of his constant care..."

"And I think you're a liar, Marshal."

Dillon moved out from behind his desk, and stood towering over Dell. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. He's had her a week, how long does it take a young girl ta git over some bruises?"

Matt put his fists on his hips, glaring at the man. "It was a lot more than just bruises, and you know it."

The man's eyes drifted away from the searing glare of Matt Dillon. "It still don't take this long for a young girl to git her strength back. Her Ma and me want her home. Now you cain't keep her away from them's that's got claim ta her, Marshal, you knowed you cain't."

Matt's voice was low and gritty, "I told you that it's up to Doc, and that's that. He says she isn't ready, and that's the way it is." He turned to Mary. "If you'd like to go say hello to her, Mrs. Stevenson, I'm sure Cassie would be happy to see you."

Dell looked at Dillon. "I'm goin' with her."

"No you're not, Stevenson. We've already been through this."

"You cain't keep me from my own daughter, Dillon. I may not be school-knowin', but I knowed that much."

"That may be so, but she's at Doc's, and he has the say in who can be in that office. And he said he doesn't want you there."

"Then you git that girl over here. I wanna see her."

When Matt hesitated too long, Chester's worried voice nipped at him, "Mr. Dillon?"

Matt wanted to tear Dell Stevenson apart with his bare hands, but instead he turned softly to Chester. "Offer them some coffee, Chester, I'm going up to Doc's. I'll be back with Cassie in a few minutes."

Matt put his hat on, and opened the door. Chester's voice made him turn back.

"Doc's not gonna be too obligin', Mr. Dillon."

Dillon just looked at Chester; the man had a gift for understatement like no other. Matt shook his head and closed the door on his way out. Chester smiled uneasily at the Stevensons.

"Uh...would either of you care for a cup of coffee? I just made a pot pert near fifteen minutes ago...It hasn't really boiled long enough yet, but it's stoutness'll speak for itself I reckon..."

* * *

Matt quietly opened the door to Doc's office to find Adams sitting in his desk chair reading, and Cassie conscientiously taking inventory of the medicines in the cabinet. Doc looked up at the marshal, and smiled.

"Mornin' Matt. Wanna a cup of coffee?"

"No thanks, Doc."

Cassie turned to the large man. "Good morning Marshal Dillon!"

"Mornin' Cassie. Doc's put you to work I see..."

"Yes, he has! Are you sure you don't want some coffee? Doc taught me how to make it!"

"He did, did he?"

"Yes. And he says it's pretty good for my first pot!"

The girl turned back to her work, and Doc winked at Matt.

"I decided she might as well earn her keep, ya know..."

Matt looked down, feeling a sudden burning in his belly. "Uh, yeah... Doc, I need to talk to you for a minute." He glanced over at the young girl. "Alone..."

"Sure Matt, sure..." The old man stood, pulling his glasses from his face, "Cassie honey, can you take that tray you're workin' on into your room for a few minutes? The marshal and I need to speak privately."

She grinned. "Man talk, huh?"

Doc smiled at the young girl. "You bet!"

Cassie picked up the tray of bottles and carried it into the back room, closing the door behind her. Doc folded his glasses into their case and slid it into his vest pocket. He took a good look at Matt, and concern colored his timbre.

"Everything okay, Matt?"

Dillon moved further into the room, shaking his head. "No Doc, it's not."

"Well what is it fer cryin' out loud?"

"There's just no easy way to tell you this... Doc, Dell and Mary Stevenson are over in my office right now, and they want to see Cassie."

"Mary's welcome here anytime..."

"No Doc, Dell wants to see Cassie over at my office."

The old man's voice lashed out in anger, "Well he can't! She isn't...I'm not... She's just not well enough to do that, and I'm sayin' that as her doctor."

"Doc...you've had her here for a week, Dell's not buyin' it."

"I don't care what he's buyin'! She's not goin' over there."

"Doc, we don't have any choice. They are her legal guardians, and they have a right--"

"--No. Absolutely not. I won't have it! I promised her she didn't have to see that man, Matt, and I ain't breakin' that, not for you, not for anyone!"

"Doc, I don't like this any more than you do, but the law's the law, and we don't have any choice." All the color drained from Adams' face, and Matt put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Doc, I really am. Look, it's just a visit. I told Stevenson that she wasn't well enough to go home, and that you were the one who would have the final word on that."

Adams swallowed hard, and sat heavily into his desk chair, his voice filled with defeat. "But we both know that's only going to last so long, and I doubt I can get through a court battle before Dell Stevenson will find a way to abuse her again." Doc's wet pale eyes looked up into Dillon's face. "Oh Matt, we can't just let this happen. We can't just let him destroy her."

Matt's large hand gently squeezed the back of Doc's neck. "I'll do everything within the law to help you, Doc, you know that."

The old doctor's voice was soft with sorrow. "That may not be enough..."

"Yeah... I'm going to take Cassie over there now, and get this over with."

"I'll go with you."

As Doc started to stand, Dillon's hand restrained him. "I'm afraid not, Doc."

"What?"

"I think it'd be better if you're not there."

"You can't be serious..."

"Yeah Doc, I am."

"Matt, it's gonna be hard enough on the poor little thing... don't you think that--"

"--Doc." He looked deeply into Adams' eyes. "I'll take care of her, don't worry. Dell Stevenson is already conscious of the fact that you're keeping Cassie from him; if you go over there, it's only going to add fuel to the fire." He pat the man's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm not going to leave them alone. Not for a minute."

Dillon knocked on the bedroom door, and Cassie appeared, smiling.

"Cassie, I need you to come with me for a few minutes."

"Sure Marshal, where're we goin'?"

"Over to my office. Your folks want to see you."

The smile fell from the girl's face, and she turned to Doc, who sat stunned, in his desk chair. "Doc? Doc, you promised I didn't have to see that man! Doc!"

Adams could barely look her in the eye. "I'm sorry, honey." He glared at Dillon, "He has a _legal_ right, apparently..."

Panic began to set into Cassie's eyes. "No! No, I won't go!"

She started to bolt from the room, but Dillon took her arms. "Calm down, Cassie, nothing's going to happen. Chester and I will be there, and so will your mother. It'll be all right."

"No!" She broke away from Dillon, and ran to Adams, throwing her arms tightly around his neck. "Doc, please don't make me go! You promised!"

Adams looked at the floor, his stomach burning with blame. "I'm sorry, Cassie." His eyes filled with distress as the young girl sobbed into him, and he finally wrapped his unworthy arms around her, patting her back gently to calm her. "Shhh...don't cry, sweetheart, please don't cry."

After a few minutes, Dillon looked at Adams. "I'm sorry, Doc, but I've got to take her now."

Cassie gripped Doc harder, and he spoke softly into her ear. "It's going to be all right, honey. Matt won't let anything happen to you. He won't."

Dillon gently pulled the girl from Doc, and wrapped her coat around her. When she realized Doc was still sitting there, panic once more struck her.

"Doc? Aren't you coming?"

He sadly shook his head. "No honey." He swallowed hard, for he found it a distasteful lie. "It's better if I don't." She looked at him pleadingly, and he spoke once more, "Matt will take care of you. I promise, sweetheart."

Her eyes became furious as she shouted at him. "You can't make promises to me anymore!"

Cassie stormed out to the landing, wiping her tears on her sleeve. Matt glanced back at Doc, who sat dejectedly in his chair, unmoving. Dillon quietly shut the door, leaving Adams to shed the tears he'd been fighting off, alone.

* * *

Chester was perched on the edge of Dillon's desk, facing the window, his arms folded across himself, while Matt observed the Stevenson's interactions from his desk chair. Dell hadn't stopped talking to Cassie since they sat down, and Dillon didn't like the way Stevenson was looking at the girl. Mary Stevenson had said nary a word, and for the most part sat as still as a statue, looking down at the tabletop. Poor Cassie had appeared to be in some kind of shock since she first laid eyes on Dell Stevenson, for she hadn't said a word, nor did she seem able to move of her own will. Matt shivered: if Doc had been there, Dillon was certain Adams would have tried to rip Dell apart with his bare hands by now.

He glanced again at Cassie, and he began to worry about the pallor of her skin, and the glassy look of her eyes. A smile had started to spread on Dell Stevenson's lips, and it made Matt's stomach turn harshly; for Matt, it wouldn't be over soon enough. He glanced out the window for a moment, trying to regain his calm composure. His practiced eyes spotted Kitty leaving the Long Branch, heading toward Delmonico's; he pulled out his pocket watch then, and it was mid-morning, much later than her normal breakfast time. Dillon frowned, wondering if she had altered her normal routine in an effort to avoid bumping into Adams. He shook his head, and hoped that she would be unable to maintain her angry façade for long; hers was an unreasonable fear from a man who loved her unconditionally. And yet Matt understood that he had to stay out of it. The bloodcurdling scream from the table, snapped his head in that direction as he stood, drawing his gun.

Dell had put his hand on Cassie's arm, and the girl was screaming as though he was stabbing her. Chester almost fell off the desk, and he nervously limped toward the table. Dillon holstered his gun, and followed suit.

"Now Cassie, hush now, girl, it ain't nothin'..." He looked up at Dillon. "What's wrong with this girl? Why's she screamin' like that? I just went ta pat her on the arm is all, tellin' her we wuz gonna be together agin real soon..."

Dillon's tone didn't hide his sarcasm. "And you're wonderin' why she's screamin'?"

Matt gently held Cassie by the arms, but it didn't' calm her at all. "Cassie, calm down, it's Marshal Dillon. You're safe, nothing's going to happen here..."

He calmly pulled the girl away from the table, and momentarily she stopped screaming. But as Matt looked into her pale face, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and her entire body began to shake. Dillon picked her up, and handed her to Goode.

"Chester, get her up to Doc's, and hurry."

"Sure thing, Mr. Dillon."

Chester carried the girl out of the office, and Dillon turned to face the Stevensons, noting that Mary had barely reacted during her daughter's outburst, but he saw fear in the woman's eyes; whether it was fear for her daughter or herself, he couldn't' tell.

"Well Stevenson, I think now you have a better picture why Doc says she's not well yet."

"What have you people been doin' to that girl? You've warried her somethin' awful; she's as skittery as a spooked horse."

Dillon turned to Mary. "Mrs. Stevenson...you haven't said a word."

She looked fearfully toward her husband, then back at Dillon. "Dell wants Cassie home..."

His brow furrowed at the statement. "And what about you? Don't you care what happens to your daughter?"

Mary Stevenson looked as though she had been slapped. Staring intently into Dillon's eyes, knowing she would pay for it, she said flatly, "Cassie'd be better off dead than in Dell's house."

And silently, Mrs. Stevenson walked out of the Marshal's Office, leaving the door wide open in her wake. After a stunned moment, Dell recovered and chased after her.

"Mary! Mary, you git back here, woman! Mary!"


	15. Chapter 15

Chester stood by silently, as Doc gently examined Cassie. After checking her heartbeat and pulse again, Doc stood, and tucked the covers tighter around the sleeping girl. He looked into her drawn face, and felt his stomach lurch with guilt. He tenderly brushed the hair from her brow, and then turning to the bedside table, he pulled his stethoscope off his neck, and angrily tossed it into his bag.

Chester's voice was soft, "She gonna be okay now, Doc?"

Without so much as acknowledging Chester's presence in the room, much less answering his question, Doc stalked past Goode and out into his office. Chester followed him, quietly closing the door to the back room behind him. When he turned to look at Doc, he was horrified to see the man holding a .36 Colt in his hand.

"Doc? Now Doc...what do you think you're doing with that thing?"

Adams said not a word to Chester as he began ripping his desk apart looking for ammunition.

"Doc! You just stop this right now, do you hear me? Doc...you ...you can't..." Chester's eyes bulged out when Adams pulled a box of shells out of a drawer, tossed them onto his desk, and began loading the old gun. "Oh my goodness..."

And Chester Goode knew he wouldn't be able to handle Doc Adams on his own. He ran for the Marshal's Office.

* * *

"Mr. Dillon! Mr. Dillon!"

Chester barreled into the office, almost colliding with Dillon who was heading toward the door.

"Mr. Dillon! Mr. Dillon!"

"Chester, stop yelling...I'm right here."

"You gotta come quick, Mr. Dillon..."

Matt couldn't remember ever seeing his assistant so agitated. "Chester, what's the matter?"

"It's Doc..."

Matt's voice exploded with alarm, "What about him?"

"He's pulled out that old .36 of his, Mr. Dillon, and he's up there loadin' it right now. He means to kill him Mr. Dillon. He's gonna kill Dell Stevenson..."

With Chester on his heels, Matt quickly left the office, and headed up to Doc's, taking the steps three at a time. He burst into the room to find Doc standing by his desk, one hand thrust behind his back.

Matt looked hard at his friend. "Doc...Doc, you give me that gun."

Adams' voice was colored with rage, "No!"

Dillon took a threatening step closer, holding out his hand. "Doc, give me the gun."

Doc pulled the gun from behind his back, pointing it at Matt. "You'd better get outta my way, Matt."

"You're not gonna shoot me, Doc, and we both know it, so just give me that thing before ya hurt somebody with it."

Chester pleaded with Adams, "Listen to him, Doc, you know Mr. Dillon's right. Now just put that gun down..."

Dillon took another step toward the doctor, and Adams cocked the pistol, stopping the marshal cold. The two dear friends stared into each other's eyes, and Matt found himself suddenly unsure of the man he'd known so well and so long. He took neither a step in advance nor retreat, but continued to hold Doc's eyes with his own.

Dillon licked his lips, which had suddenly gone dry. "Is Cassie all right, Doc?"

"All right? No," he spat in response, "she's terrified that Dell Stevenson's gonna hurt her. And she no longer trusts me or anything I say; and why should she?"

"She's going to be all right though, isn't she?"

"Physically, yes...I don't know about how this will damage her emotionally..."

"She needs you, Doc, so why don't you just put the gun down and help her in the way that only you can?"

Adams' knuckles began turning white from gripping the gun so hard. "Matt, please don't make me do this...step aside."

Dillon's voice was soft, "I can't Doc. I can't let you go out there and kill a man."

"He's an animal, not a man! And I'm gonna kill him!" He looked into Dillon's saddened blue eyes, and said, "You can draw on me if you need to, Matt, but you're not gonna stop me any other way."

Matt held his arms up slightly, away from his gun, and he began moving slowly toward Doc. "I'm not going to draw on you, Doc. I couldn't shoot you, and you know it." He stared deeply into the grieving pale eyes. "I can't shoot you anymore than you can shoot me."

"Matt, please don't come any closer," Doc pleaded desperately.

But Dillon kept coming, never letting go of Doc's eyes. "I'm willing to bet my life on how well I know you, Doc; on how well I know you, and how much I trust you."

Adams' hand started to shake, as Dillon closed in. When he was near enough to touch the old doctor, he reached out and grasped the barrel of the gun, gently pulling it from Doc's hand.

"I should have been able to protect her," Adams whispered.

Dillon handed the weapon back to Chester, and then took Adams gently by the shoulders, and guided him to his desk chair, sitting him down. He knelt in front of the chair, gently laying a hand on Doc's arm.

"This wasn't your fault, Doc. You've done the best by her that you could."

Adams looked into Dillon's shimmering eyes then. "It wasn't enough, Matt." He looked away. "It wasn't nearly enough."

Not wanting to break the physical contact with Doc, Dillon turned to Goode. "Chester, over there in that wooden cupboard, there's some whiskey..."

"Yes sir, Mr. Dillon."

Chester went to the cupboard, pulled out a glass and the bottle, and poured a generous shot. He handed it to Dillon, who placed it in one of Doc's hands.

"Drink some of that, Doc. It'll help calm you down."

For a moment, Adams just stared into the glass, and then in one shot, he tossed the whiskey back, setting the glass on the desk.

"You need another one?" Doc shook his head, and Dillon pat his arm. "I want you to stay here and take care of Cassie, all right?" The physician simply nodded, and Dillon continued, "I'm going to make sure that Dell has left town, and that Mary was still in one piece when he did."

Dillon stood up, and turned to Chester, nodding toward the door. The two men walked out, but Doc called to the marshal.

"Matt?"

Dillon stuck his head back in the door. "Yeah, Doc?"

"That was a stupid thing you did; I was so full of rage, anything could have happened."

Matt smiled sweetly at Adams. "Doc, I was never in any danger from you; I just knew that before you did." Emotion filled the old man's eyes, and Matt nodded to him. "I'll see ya later, Doc."

"Okay, Matt," Adams answered after the door had already closed.


	16. Chapter 16

Dillon was standing at the bar of the Longbranch, sipping a whiskey, when Chester walked in. He spotted the marshal, and walked over to stand next to him.

Goode looked up at the bartender. "I'll have me a beer, Clem, thanks..."

Clem set a beer in front of Goode, who took a long sip from it. "It's funny, Mr. Dillon, but I like cold beer, even when it's cold outside." He turned slightly to look at the marshal. "Did you have a chance to speak to the Stevensons before they left town?"

"Yeah."

"Think it'll do any good?"

Dillon shrugged, worn out. "I honestly don't know, Chester. Stevenson was so mad when he left my office after what his wife said, I could picture him doing almost anything, but I can't arrest a man on what I _think_ he might do."

Chester's brow furrowed. "Maybe we oughta ride out there tonight, Mr. Dillon..."

"It's gonna snow tonight, Chester, but maybe we can go tomorrow morning."

The silence hung heavily between them for a moment, until Chester said, "Probably just as well, we should check in on Doc tonight. I sure am worried about him."

The familiar voice from behind broke in, "Doc's pretty good at taking care of himself, Chester, I wouldn't worry so if I were you."

Chester smiled at the redhead. "Well howdy, Miss Kitty..."

Dillon turned toward her. "Hi Kitty."

"Did I see Dell and Mary Stevenson in town earlier?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid you did," Matt answered.

She looked Dillon in the eye. "They come for Cassie?"

He frowned at her cavalier tone. "Something like that."

"Doc must've been pretty upset..."

The blatant fishing expedition put a bite in his timbre. "You could say that, yeah..." He drained the rest of his whiskey, and set the glass down on the bar. "I have work to do. I'll see you both later."

Chester watched Dillon leave quickly, and turned to Kitty. "Now what do you 'spose brought that on?"

Kitty shrugged innocently. "It's probably too hot in here for him, Chester." She smiled at him then, baiting the hook. "Sounds like it's been a busy day..."

Goode drained the last of beer, setting the mug down on the bar. "Yeah, it sure was...and I think that I'll just--"

"--Chester," she purred, "how 'bout another beer on the house?"

He smiled. "Well sure, Miss Kitty. Guess I don't have ta go just yet, it's still on the early side."

"Why sure it is..." She turned to the bartender. "Clem, lemme have another beer here for Chester." She pat Goode's arm, knowing all she had to do now was cast the line. "You just settle in and tell me all about your day..."

Goode took the beer mug that Clem handed him, and smiled. "It started out good enough, with a pot o' coffee that'd just put hair on yer chest--" He looked at her, and embarrassment colored his face. "Oh, sorry Miss Kitty, I don't mean you, I just mean in general, well, I mean us menfolk." He nervously took another sip of his beer. "Dell and Mary Stevenson came inta town just after that, and all hell broke loose. Miss Kitty, you wouldn't believe half of what happened."

She smiled, reeling him in. "I wouldn't, huh? You just drink that beer and try me..."

* * *

Still hitched to the buckboard, the horse shifted his weight from one foot to the other, trying to keep his muscles from growing stiff. The cold air began to descend as the temperature dropped and the wind picked up a bit on the prairie. Another storm was moving in; yet no smoke was coming from the chimney of the house. The horse's ears began to twitch as the shouting from within grew louder. 

"Don't you try n' defend that talk ta me, woman. You want that marshal to come out here and take me away, don't you?" His voice raised even more, "Well don't you?"

Mary Stevenson's voice shook in fright, "No Dell, no, please don't..."

The horse's head nodded back and forth quickly, throwing his mane around as the woman's cries became more primal. The slapping of flesh against flesh carried through the wooden front door, and mixed unnaturally with the howling of the wind pressing into it. The horse kept blowing air out of his nostrils trying to keep the dirt particles out, but the terror-stricken scream from behind the planked walls that issued a moment later, caused him to whiney loudly, his head once again tossing up and down in agitation.

The shadow of the man with the firewood clutched in his hand, striking blow after blow upon an unseen target, cast itself out of the lantern-lit window and onto the land stretching beyond the man's reach. And her screams for help had fallen upon the deafness that is an open, undeveloped country, with only the horse laying witness to a death so foul.

* * *

The restless cries from the back room stirred his uneasy sleep, and frowning, Doc arose from his desk chair, and opened the door to the bedroom. Cassie was tossing in her bed, the sheets pulled tightly into her fists, her arms struggling against an intangible opponent. Feeling the weight of his guilt, Adams wiped his hand brusquely across his upper lip and chin. He sighed deeply, and walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge. Gently he gripped the girl's upper arms, and shook her slightly. 

"Cassie? Cassie, honey, it's Doc."

"Get away from me! Please don't hurt me!"

Adams shook her harder. "Cassie, wake up, sweetheart."

She jolted awake, her eyes popping wide in fear. She gripped the strong arms holding onto hers, digging her nails into the flesh under the shirt, her breath emitting in short gasps, as if she'd been running away from someone. Doc didn't move until he saw recognition in her eyes, which then filled with huge tears. She reached for him to hold her, and he lifted her into his arms, cradling her like a child.

"It's all right now, it was just a dream."

She buried her face into his neck, silent sobs of unbridled fear convulsing through her. He swallowed hard, and let out an unsteady breath of air, trying to maintain his façade of calm. Softly, the doctor rubbed his hand on her back, and after a few minutes, his soothing touch began to relax her. Cassie leaned into him, hard, and he responded by tightening his arms around her, gently rocking her back and forth. He was no longer confident that she could ever trust him again, nor did he know if there was any love left in her heart for him, or only the hate of betrayal.

Doc did the one thing left to him, as tenderly as his basso voice would allow. "Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, go to sleep you little baby. When you wake, you'll have cake, and all the pretty little horses. Blacks and bays, dapples and grays, coach and six-a-little horses. When you wake, you'll have cake, and all the pretty little horses..."

In answer, Cassie kissed his cheek, and whispered, "I love you, Doc."

Doc Adams slammed his eyes shut against the emotion that welled up in them. He held her close as he silently allowed the tears of relief to run down his cheeks. The old doctor's heart surged with affection for a child who helped to fill a void left by a little girl he'd never get over; and still the words "I love you" were caught in his throat. It had been so long since he'd said them aloud, maybe he no longer could. A small smile lit his lips; there would be time for that, he was certain.

Cassie sighed deeply, leaning into him, and Doc realized she had fallen asleep. His smile widened and he brushed her hair with his hand, placing a tender kiss on her head. As he gently began to lower her back down onto her pillows, he didn't hear the drunken footsteps coming up the outside stairs.


	17. Chapter 17

Dell tripped on the landing of Doc's office, but the fresh, powdery snow that had been falling for the past hour muffled any sound it might have made. He tried to open the door, only to find it locked.

"Damn sawbones," he slurred loudly.

He jiggled the doorknob, but even in his drunken state, came to the conclusion that it wasn't going to open. He backed up slightly, and threw himself against the door, busting it open. Dell stumbled into the office, and swayed on his feet for a second, trying to figure out why he was alone. But in the next moment, the door to the back room opened, and an angry doctor appeared.

"What in the hell is going on out--" Doc stopped in mid-sentence when he realized that it was Dell Stevenson standing in the middle of the room.

"You...meddlin' old quack. Where's my daughter?"

"She isn't here."

The drunken man glared at the much smaller doctor. "Whaddya mean she ain't here?"

Doc licked his lips. "Marshal Dillon's keeping an eye on her tonight. If you want Cassie, you're gonna have to see _him_ about it."

Stevenson took several menacing steps toward Adams. "You wouldn't lie to me, wouldja old man?"

Doc's hands slid into his pockets. "You can believe me or not, Stevenson. I can only tell ya how it is."

Dell nodded toward the bedroom door. "Who you got back there?"

"Just an outlaw. Marshal brought him in with a gunshot wound, not that it's any of yer business!"

Adams glanced over at his desk then, looking for the .36 Colt, only to remember that Matt had taken it from him hours before. He felt his mouth go dry; if Dell didn't buy what he was selling, the doctor had few choices for defense against such a burly man. Adams looked around his office for something he might use, and his eyes landed on his surgical instruments. He hated the idea of using a tool meant to save life for taking it, but Adams had never shied away from doing what he had to in the face of death.

Dell moved another few steps closer, glaring at Adams. "I wanna see this outlaw you got in there..."

Doc snorted, and moved in the general direction of the surgical tools. "I don't give two rocks and and a codfish bone what you want; you ain't goin' in there disturbin' one of my patients!"

And Adams almost slipped by him, but all the noise had awakened Cassie, and she opened the bedroom door, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Doc? Doc, what's--" Her eyes opened in alarm. "No! Doc!"

Adams dove for the small table with the scalpel, but he didn't make it. Dell grabbed him by the shirt collar, and roughly tossed him into the nearest wall, knocking the wind out of the smaller man. Adams fell to his knees, trying to catch his breath, and Stevenson picked him up by the front of his shirt, painfully smashing his hand across Doc's face. Adams threw a punch into the big man's midsection, causing him to grunt, further infuriating him. Dell gripped Doc's neck between his two hands, and rammed his head through the glass of one of the medicine cabinets, the chards slicing into Doc's head and face. Adams fell to the floor, unconscious.

Cassie knelt next to him, sobbing. "Doc? Doc please wake up!" Dell Stevenson started to pick the doctor up once more, but the young girl grabbed his arm with her hand. "Please leave him be!" She tried to swallow down the bile in her throat. "I'll go with you," she stated quietly. "I'll go with you if you leave him be..."

Stevenson smiled. "He couldn't take much more nohow." He grabbed the young girl roughly. "Come on girl, git..."

Cassie looked back toward the still figure on the cold floor, as Dell pushed her through the door, and she prayed that Doc was all right. Even though Doc hadn't said the words, she knew that he loved her in his own way. In her heart, Cassie Stevenson knew that.

* * *

"Clem, you lock up for me, all right?"

"Sure thing, Miss Kitty."

Chester helped Kitty with her coat. "Now Miss Kitty," Chester asked, "are you sure you don't mind checkin' in on Doc?"

Russell looked away for a moment, guilt flooding her. "Yes, Chester, I'm sure." She looked up at him then. "I owe him at least that..."

Goode didn't understand the reference, but he knew enough not to ask. "Well all right then, I'll see you over there on my way to the office."

As Chester escorted Kitty across the street to Doc's, the snow continued falling softly to the ground. At the bottom of the stairs he turned to her.

"Are you sure you don't want me ta go up with ya? Doc's been awfully cranky lately, and--"

"--Chester, it's all right. But thanks anyway."

"Sure thing, ma'am."

Chester tipped his hat, and as Kitty started up the stairs, he headed toward the Marshal's Office. Kitty glanced toward Doc's front window, and by the amount of light coming from it, she figured he was still awake. Upon reaching the landing, she knocked on the door, and to her surprise, the door swung open. Kitty peered inside, and spotted Doc lying on the floor.

"Doc!" Her panicked voice yelled down toward the street, "Chester! Chester!"

Kitty ran into the office, and knelt next to the old doctor, who was lying face down amidst broken glass. As gently as she could, she turned him over, and gasped when she saw the blood covering his face.

"Oh Doc..."

Matt and Chester appeared then in the doorway, stunned expressions on their faces.

Matt quickly moved into the room. "Kitty?"

Her crystal blue eyes met his shimmering ones. "It looks bad, Matt."

His voice was all business, and bore none of the emotion his heart was experiencing, "Have you checked on Cassie?"

Kitty shook her head, and drawing his weapon, Matt cautiously went into the back room. A moment later, he walked back out, holstering his gun.

"She's gone," he said simply.

"Dell Stevenson," Kitty said.

Chester's voice was tinged with fear, "Oh Mr. Dillon, if he's got Cassie..."

Matt knelt next to Kitty, who had pulled Doc's upper body into her lap. "Will you stay with Doc?"

She looked intensely into his face. "Of course."

"Thanks." He turned to Goode. "Chester, saddle the horses and get a couple of shotguns."

"Yes, Mr. Dillon, right away!"

Chester left quickly, and Matt gently picked Doc's body up and placed him carefully on the exam table.

Adams groaned, his voice weak. "Matt?"

"Take it easy, Doc..."

The panic lit his timbre, "Matt, he's got her..."

Dillon gently gripped Adams' arms. "Chester and I are headin' out there now, Doc. Don't you worry about a thing,."

"Matt...he's intoxicated. There's no telling what he'll do to her..."

Dillon couldn't remember hearing such fear in his old friend's voice, and he ran a soothing hand over Doc's brow. "I want you to rest easy. Leave Dell Stevenson to me." Matt looked at Kitty then. "See that he stays put."

"I will," Kitty responded. Dillon headed to the door, but her voice caused him to turn once more. "Matt? Be careful..."

He nodded and walked out, closing the door behind him.

* * *

The horses pounded through the snow, even as freezing wind and ice flew into their faces. Dillon pushed Buck hard, not bothering to look behind to see if Chester was keeping pace. Goode watched as Buck pulled farther and farther away, and he spurred his horse.

"Come on ya old glue bucket! Let's go!"

The horse picked up speed, but Chester didn't know how long the old gelding could maintain it. Dillon appeared as a man possessed, and Goode didn't have to think too hard to find a reason, for he felt just as guilty. If they hadn't taken the Colt from him, Doc would have had a means of defense: Dell would probably be dead, but Cassie would still be at Doc's, and the old man wouldn't be lying on his own table half-beaten to death. Chester forced himself to shelve his spiraling emotions; he had to catch up to the marshal before Dillon reached Dell Stevenson's homestead.

* * *

As carefully as she could, Kitty cleaned the cuts on Doc's face with alcohol, and for what seemed like the hundredth time to her, he winced in pain.

Her voice was soft, "I'm sorry, Doc."

He let out the breath of air he'd been holding. "It's gonna sting. Just ignore me and get it done."

The coldness of his voice made her heart shudder, but she didn't know what to say to him. It felt awful: a man she had known so well, and so comfortably, was suddenly beyond her reach. But then, she realized it was of her own making; and that thought made Kitty feel even worse. She turned her attention to the large wound on his forehead that was still bleeding. He flinched in pain as she started to clean it, and Kitty's hand instinctively recoiled.

He glared up at her. "Well come on, get on with it..."

As quickly as she could, Kitty cleaned up the cut, and bandaged it. When she was finished, she gently ran her hands down his arms and legs, and was about to do the same to his ribs when he stopped her.

"There ain't nothin' broken."

"Doc, you were hit awfully hard, and--"

"--I'm a doctor fer cryin' out loud, I'd know if somethin' was busted."

He started to sit up, but she restrained him. "Oh no ya don't! Where do you think you're going?"

He glared at her. "I'm gettin' on my horse and heading out to the Stevenson place, that's where I'm goin'." His eyes narrowed in anger. "And you aren't gonna stop me."

Once again he started to sit up, and as he did so, he moaned in pain, his hand reaching to support his left side.

Kitty's voice was lit with reproach, "Nothing broken, huh?" She moved her hand under his vest to gently check his ribs, and he shuddered. "That's pretty tender, Doc."

He stood, painfully holding his left side. "It'll be fine," he ground out between clenched teeth.

She watched him slowly walk across the room toward the coat rack, and as he extened a hand for his coat, she took it from him.

"Let me at least wrap up those ribs if you're hell-bent on doing this..."

He shook his head. "No time for that." His eyes shifted up to hers then, an emotion she couldn't name residing in them. "Help me with my coat?"

She sighed, unable to resist the pale eyes quietly entreating her. "Against my better judgment ..."

Kitty put his coat on him, followed by his scarf, gloves and hat. He reached for the doorknob and grunted slightly, reaching for his ribs. She shook her head, seeing what every movement was costing him; riding a horse was going to be agony. She put her hand over his.

"Please don't, Doc. Let Matt and Chester handle this."

He shook his head. "I can't do that, Kitty." He glanced at her. "And you know I can't."

Silently, she removed her hand, and he walked out the door. Kitty felt regret: she had wanted to tell him that she was sorry she'd been so hard on him, and that she missed him. It was the reason she'd gone to his office in the first place; but discovering him in the condition she had, with Cassie gone, she could no longer find the courage. Kitty looked out the window, watching him gingerly clear the bottom step, and worry filled her.

She choked back her tears, as she whispered, "Be careful, Doc."


	18. Chapter 18

Chester caught up with Dillon as the tall marshal was tying Buck to a tree some ways away from the Stevenson house. Goode dismounted and tied his horse next to Matt's, pulling his shotgun from its scabbard.

"Lights is on in the house, Mr. Dillon..."

"Yeah." Dillon stared at the cabin for a moment, holding his shotgun tightly in both his hands. "I don't have a good feeling, Chester."

Goode looked at Matt sharply. "I ain't never heard you say such a thing, Mr. Dillon."

Matt swallowed hard and pulled his hat down lower over his face, keeping the falling snow from hitting him. "Come on, Chester, let's go..."

The two men quietly approached the house, each taking up a position on either side of the front door. Dillon banged on the wood with the butt of his shotgun.

"Stevenson, this is Marshal Dillon. Open up."

"Git outta here, Dillon. You ain't got no business here." To punctuate his meaning, Stevenson fired a rifle shot out the window.

Both Matt and Chester ducked low, and Matt yelled, "I'm takin' you in, Stevenson..."

"You cain't do nothin' to me for beatin' my women a little."

"I'm takin' you in for assaulting Doc Adams, and for destroying his property."

"That ol' sawbones deserved ever'thing he got from me. I shoulda jist killed him."

"You throw out that gun, Stevenson, and come out here, now."

Dell fired the gun again, the bullet ricocheting off a nearby tree.

Chester whispered, "If he ain't careful, he's gonna hit one of us by accident!"

"As drunk as he is, Chester, that's probably the only way he's gonna hit one of us."

"Why don't we just bust in this door then?"

"I don't want to take a chance that Mary or Cassie would be hit." Dillon yelled to Dell, "I'm not gonna tell you again, Stevenson, throw out that gun."

He fired again, answering, "You're gonna have to kill me, Dillon, I ain't goin' nowhere with you."

"Mr. Stevenson, think about Mary and Cassie, what if one of them is hit by a stray bullet?"

"That ain't my lookout..."

"If it comes from your gun, you'll hang for it."

"I'm gonna hang anyway..." He fired again.

Dillon's stomach was in his throat, and he swallowed hard trying to clear it.

"Mr. Dillon...what'd he mean by that?"

"We've gotta get in there, Chester. Now!"

Matt kicked the door in, and Dell turned as Dillon took aim. Chester watched in horror as both men fired. But Stevenson's shot went wide, while Dillon's hit its mark squarely in the chest. The rifle slid out of Dell's hands as he fell to the floor, dead. Chester glanced around the room, and spotted Mary Stevenson's lifeless body leaning limply against the wall in the corner.

"Oh Mr. Dillon, look..."

Matt followed Chester's gaze, and the foreboding thoughts he had experienced outside doubled as he then glanced toward the bedroom door. The stillness of the small cabin sent a shiver up Goode's spine as reality took hold. For a moment, neither man could move, both knowing what they would find, and what it was going to do to a man whom they deeply respected and loved. Chester swallowed down the emotion that was stinging his eyes, and when he spoke, his voice was so soft, Dillon almost didn't hear him.

"Do you want me to do it, Mr. Dillon?"

Matt turned to Goode then. "Let's both do it, Chester."

Slowly the two men moved toward the bedroom. With a slightly shaky hand, Dillon turned the knob, opening the door. He peered in, and had to fight the sick feeling in his stomach. Chester covered his mouth with his hand, slamming his eyes shut, afraid that he wouldn't be able to keep his supper down. In all of his years as a lawman, Matt Dillon had never seen a woman's body in such a condition, and he felt his eyes fill with tears from an abomination that he would never be able to erase from his memory. Silently, with feet that would barely move, Matt walked to the bed, and picking up a blanket, carefully covered the young girl whose pale blue eyes now stared unseeing into nothingness. He let out a deep breath, and his voice reflected a deep emotion that Chester rarely heard.

"He doesn't see her like this, Chester, understand?"

Goode's voice shook with grief, "Yes, Mr. Dillon." He swallowed, steadying himself. "But you know him, he's going to insist on--"

"--I said no," Dillon's tone was hard as nails, "he doesn't see her like this." He looked into the depths of pained chocolate brown, and softened considerably. "I want you to take both Cassie and Mary in the buckboard to Percy Crump's tonight. Wake him up, and tell him I said to get both bodies nailed into boxes before sunrise."

"Y-yes, Mr. Dillon..."

Matt faced Chester then, putting a comforting hand on his assistant's shoulder. "It's up to us to protect Doc from this, Chester."

Goode's voice was soft, "Well, what are we gonna tell him?"

Matt sighed deeply. "The truth, that Dell killed them. We're just going to spare him the details. He should remember Cassie as she was, not like this."

As they turned to walk back out of the room, Chester said, "No one should have to remember nothin' like this..."

Dillon put his arm around Chester. "Come on, let's bury Dell Stevenson before we head back to Dodge."

"He don't deserve burying."

"Maybe not Chester, but it's the right thing to do, even for a man like Dell Stevenson."

* * *

As Dillon patted down the last of the earth with his shovel, he felt the pounding of horse hooves resonating in his feet. He looked up and saw Adams riding full speed toward them, and his heart dropped.

Chester spotted the doctor, and said, "Mr. Dillon, isn't that Doc comin'?"

"Yep."

Panic filled Goode's tone, "Well what are we gonna do?"

Matt shook his head. "Try and keep him outta there, I guess."

"Oh Mr. Dillon..."

Matt looked sadly into Chester's eyes. "I know."

Doc pulled up on his reins when he spotted Chester and Matt finishing what looked like a grave, and his stomach turned. Fear filling him, he stepped off the horse, holding his broken ribs, and he walked toward the two men, stopping between them and the front door of the house.

He couldn't keep the quake from his voice, "Matt?"

"Dell Stevenson, Doc, Chester and I just finished burying him."

Relief filled Doc's heart, "Had ta kill him, huh?"

Chester answered, "Mr. Dillon didn't have no choice."

Doc started for the house. "I'll just check in on Cassie and Mary then."

But the big marshal stood in his way. Adams looked up into the shimmering blue eyes, frowning.

"What are you doin', Matt?"

Dillon's voice was filled with tenderness. "Don't go in there, Doc."

Adams felt as if he had been physically hit in the belly, bending slightly forward with the force of it. A long beat passed by, while Dillon held his breath, waiting to see how the man was going to take it all. Wordlessly, Adams started past Dillon, but Matt took him by the shoulders.

"Doc, I can't let you go in there."

Adams eyes filled with moisture as he looked up into the rugged face of the tall lawman. "I have to, Matt."

"No Doc, you don't; there's nothing more you can do for her." Dillon's tender feelings toward the old doctor spilled out into his words. "I can spare you from this, at least."

Adams held Dillon's eyes for a long time, silently engaging the lawman with his resolve. In the end, Matt understood that he couldn't protect Doc from the truth. Finally Dillon looked away, and Doc brushed past him.

Confused by it, Chester moved toward Matt. "But Mr. Dillon, you cain't let him go in there. He shouldn't see that; you know he shouldn't see it."

Without looking at his assistant, Matt quietly laid a hand on his shoulder. "We have no right to stop him, Chester."

Goode stepped toward the house. "We cain't let him do it alone..."

Matt moved then, holding Chester back. "Do me a favor and hitch up the horse to the buckboard. It might be better if I look after Doc."

Goode nodded and watched Dillon retreat once more into the house. Matt walked past Mary's body, which Chester had covered with a blanket, and he softly moved into the bedroom behind Doc, who was standing as still as a statue, staring at the covered body. Matt put a gentle hand on the smaller man's shoulder.

"You should leave it at this, Doc."

But Adams knew he couldn't leave it alone now, anymore than he could when his own daughter had lain dead, covered on the floor. With a surprisingly steady hand, he reached for the tip of the blanket, gently drawing it back, exposing the young girl's mutilated face, and he was barely able to keep from retching. Her hands were in a defense posture near her neck, frozen for all time in the horror of the violence of her own death. Dillon watched as the old doctor's hand began to shake and a cry of anguish from deep within uttered low from his mouth. And Matt could take no more. He released the corner of the blanket from Doc's hand, replacing it over the young girl's face, and carefully put an arm around Adams, moving him from the room. He sat Doc down in a chair, concerned at the pallor of the man's face, and the discomfort Adams exhibited on his left side.

"Those ribs seem pretty bad off..." Dillon knelt down, unbuttoned Doc's coat, and gently reached under Adam's jacket and vest, running his hand over the swollen area. "They're broken." Adams didn't say anything; he didn't seem to care. "Let's wrap 'em before we head back to Dodge, it'll at least help with the pain."

Doc grabbed Matt's hand then, stopping him. "Leave it." Doc's eyes pierced Matt's. "I want the pain."

Dillon stood then, understanding filling his eyes. He stroked his hand over the back of Doc's head. "This wasn't your fault."

"Yes Matt, it was."

"Doc, you couldn't have--"

"--Matt...I'd like to take both Mary and Cassie back to Dodge in the buckboard."

Matt paused and then nodded. "All right, Chester can drive you."

"No. I'll go alone. You and Chester just be sure to bring back my horse."

"Doc..."

The old man looked up into Matt's face. "I need to do it, Matt."

Doc stood shakily, and fastened up the buttons of his coat, wincing slightly from the jabbing pain in his side.

"How much more jostling do you think those ribs of yours can take?"

Adams pat Dillon's arm affectionately. "I'll be all right, ol' boy, don't worry."

But Matt knew he would worry for a long time to come.


	19. Chapter 19

The snow had continued to fall throughout the night, and all the next day, covering the ground in more than a foot of white powder. Dillon huddled deeper into his coat, pushing his hands further into the pockets trying to stay warm in spite of the frigid wind. Chester stood stoically next to him, shuddering from the cold, but they were the only two who had been willing to come out on such an awful day to attend the funeral of two women whom no one had taken the time to know. As Matt glanced at the older man standing in front of him, he amended his disparaging thought: one person had taken the time; and for his kindness, Doc had been awarded grief.

Dillon tried to shake off the blasphemous thoughts, but found he couldn't. Deep down, Matt harbored anger towards a deity that could so profoundly hurt a man like Doc Adams. And even though Doc had barely said a word, Matt knew that he was suffering inside. He wondered if his old friend would ever be the same; somehow Dillon doubted it. Something made him turn and glance at the big oak tree on the right, and he immediately recognized the profile of the bundled figure quietly standing there. Seeing her brought a slight smile to the lawman's lips, for he knew long before she did that she would be unable to stay away, and for Doc's sake, Dillon was glad.

The preacher's voice drew Matt's attention back to the graveside. "We commend the bodies of our sisters Cassie and Mary back to the Lord from whom cometh all good things, and we commit them to the ground; earth to earth; ashes to ashes; dust to dust. May the Lord bless and keep them, and make his face shine upon them, and be gracious unto them, giving them peace. Amen."

The two men hired by Percy to lower the boxes into the graves and fill them in with dirt, quickly moved to finish the job, in a hurry to get out of the cold. Matt and Chester put their hats back on as the Revered Bell shook Doc's hand, offering a word or two of condolence. Dillon stared at Adams as his friend silently watched the two men shoveling dirt into the graves, Doc's old black hat crushed between his hands. And Matt couldn't silence what was in his heart for the old man. He felt his eyes sting with affection, and angrily, Dillon reached up to wipe away the moisture, for there was nothing he could do to spare Doc from the untold pain of loss.

Out of the corner of his eye, Matt saw Chester make a move toward Adams, but gently he restrained him with a hand on his arm, shaking his head. "I think Doc needs to be alone right now, Chester." Dillon glanced over at the figure under the tree, silently praying that she would be the salvation for Doc's broken heart. "Come on, let's head back to the office; we'll check in on him later, and maybe take him for a drink at the Longbranch." 

Chester looked back with worry at Doc once more, hesitant to leave him. "Well, if you say so, Mr. Dillon..."

Matt smiled and pat Chester on the back. "Doc'll be all right. Come on..."

She patiently waited until both Matt and Chester, and Percy's men were out of sight before she walked toward the fresh grave, and the broken man standing by it. She observed him from several feet away until she silently moved closer, stopping about a foot or so behind him. He neither turned to look at her, nor moved at all, but his voice, although tinged with the ache of loss, was filled with the certainty of whom he was addressing.

"I wondered where you were."

"I wasn't sure if I was welcome, so I stood over by the old tree."

He shook his head then, looking down at the grave. "I don't think she knew the truth of it, any more than you do. And it's my fault for being so inadequate."

Kitty frowned. "What are you talking about, Doc?"

His voice shook with forlorn regret, and Kitty had to choke back tears of empathy as he said, "I never told her that I loved her; I could never bring myself to say the words, and now it's too late."

"You didn't have to, she knew." Kitty pulled one of her gloves off then, and softly brushed at the curls on the back of his head. "Cassie knew because you _showed_ her." She gently turned him around to face her. "You're one of the most caring and kindhearted men I've ever known, Doc, and I owe you an apology for behaving like such a selfish child. I said some things that I'm not very proud of, but I was afraid that you didn't need me anymore."

His pale eyes looked deeply into her crystal blue ones, wanting so badly to make her understand. "No one could ever replace you, honey, you've got to know that."

Kitty held back the moisture filling her eyes, and she rubbed her hand tenderly across his cheek. "You deserve so much better than this, Doc." Her voice finally broke with the emotion that had been pushing at her, "It should have been me."

Her words pierced him as sharply as a blade, and his already battered heart began to break. He grabbed her face between his hands, forcing her to look at him.

"Don't you say that." The anger in his voice frightened her, "Don't you _ever_ say that to me again. Don't you _dare_ believe that I care less for you than I did Cassie, or imply that I could somehow choose between you--" Doc's voice became husky with impassioned emotion, "You don't know how precious you are to me. The only reason I haven't crumbled to pieces over this is because of you, Kitty." The tears that had formed in his eyes began to spill over, onto his cheeks. "If I ever lost you too...I couldn't bear it. I just couldn't..."

And his heart began to shatter right there before her. Kitty enclosed her arms around his neck, pulling him tightly to her. Shaking from grief, Doc's arms found their way around her waist, and he buried his face into the crook of her neck, sorrow pouring out of him faster than he could breathe. Holding him close, Kitty ran her fingers soothingly through his hair.

"Oh Doc, it hurts me so to see you like this..."

After a short time, Kitty felt his breathing begin to calm, and his body relax slightly against hers. She leaned her chin on his forehead, still gently stroking the curls on the back of his head with her hand.

"It's gettin' a little cold out here, Curly, what do you say to you and me headin' in?" He nodded against her, but didn't trust himself to speak. She rubbed her hand over his back as she placed a light kiss on his forehead. "Come on, handsome, it's time to go."

She wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and he one about her waist, and together they began walking up Front Street, a comfortable silence stretching between them. As they passed by the General Store, young Tommy Collins was standing outside, looking longingly through the window at the jar containing the horehound sticks. Kitty suddenly grabbed Doc's hand tightly in hers, pulling him toward the boardwalk. Just before she stepped up onto the wooden boards, she let go of his strong hand, leaving him on the street below. Doc watched with fascination as Kitty plastered a slightly dour look on her face.

"Say, aren't you Tommy Collins, Brad and Rita's son?" The little boy nodded profusely but found he couldn't speak in the presence of the tall redhead staring down at him. She continued, her hands on her hips, "Do you have any money?" The little blonde head shook emphatically back and forth, and Kitty found it tough to keep the smile from taking over her lips. "Here," she said, placing a nickel into the little boy's palm. "Now don't you spend that!"

As the young child ran into the store, Kitty's laugh rippled through the cold air, and for the first time, Doc Adams perceived his legacy. When Kitty turned around to face him, a big grin on her face, Doc was staring up at her with tears of pride shining in his pale blue eyes. The smile on her lips quickly faded.

"Doc, what's the matter?"

He simply shrugged, his voice stating a tender fact, "I love you."

Kitty's face dissolved into a soft emotion, and he held his arms out to her. She grasped his hands, letting him help her back down to the street, touching his lips lightly with hers before hugging him. She pat him on the back and looked into his gentle blue eyes.

"How about a drink, handsome?"

"Are you buyin'?"

She laughed, once again putting an arm around him, turning him toward the Longbranch. "I guess I can afford to buy you a drink..."

"Well gosh, I sure hope so. I'm countin' on you to support me in my old age, in my rockin' chair on the porch."

She let the sarcasm drip off her timbre, "What I'd like to know is how many other women you're stringin' along, promising them the _honor_ of supporting you in your old age..."

His eyes narrowed at her. "Since ya put it that way, I ain't tellin' ya."

He winked at her, and she glared at him. "You're incorrigible, you know that?"

"I'm not takin' any chances with you, because you've gotta support me in my old age, in my rockin' chair on the porch."

She shook her head, laughing. "I give up!"

He nodded. "You'd better, or I'll turn you over my knee!"

She looked at him sharply. "You know, I believe you actually would."

"Darn right."

From the boardwalk in front of the General Store, with a horehound stick hanging from his mouth, Tommy Collins watched Kitty Russell and Doc Adams disappear through the doors of the Longbranch. Whether he knew it or not, he had become an integral part in keeping the legacy of Dodge City secure.

The End


End file.
